Dual Panel1I wish <3785> that you would be patient with <430> me <3450> in a little <3397> foolishness <877>, but <2532> indeed <235> you are being patient with <430> me <3450>!
2For <1063> I am jealous <2206> for you <5209> with godly <2316> jealousy <2205>, because <1063> I promised <718> you <5209> in marriage to one <1520> husband <435>, to present <3936> you as a <3933> pure <53> virgin <3933> to Christ <5547>.
3But <1161> I am afraid <5399> that just as <5613> the serpent <3789> deceived <1818> Eve <2096> by <1722> his <846> treachery <3834>, your <5216> minds <3540> may <5351> be led astray <5351> from <575> a sincere <572> and <2532> pure devotion <54> to <1519> Christ <5547>.
4For <1063> if <1487> someone comes <2064> and proclaims <2784> another <243> Jesus <2424> different from the one we proclaimed <2784>, or <2228> if you receive <2983> a <4151> different <2087> spirit <4151> than the one you received <2983>, or <2228> a different <2087> gospel <2098> than the one you accepted <1209>, you put up <430> with it well <2573> enough!
5For <1063> I consider <3049> myself not <3367> at all inferior <5302> to <5228> those “super-apostles <3029> <652>.”
6And <1161> even <2532> if <1487> I am unskilled <2399> in speaking <3056>, yet <235> I am certainly not <3756> so in knowledge <1108>. Indeed <235>, we have made <5319> this plain <5319> to <1519> you <5209> in <1722> everything <3956> in <1722> every way <3956>.
7Or <2228> did I commit <4160> a sin <266> by humbling <5013> myself <1683> so that <2443> you <5210> could be exalted <5312>, because <3754> I proclaimed <2097> the gospel <2098> of God <2316> to you <5213> free of charge <1432>?
8I robbed <4813> other <243> churches <1577> by receiving <2983> support <3800> from <4314> them so that I could serve <1248> you <5216>!
9When <3918> I was <3918> with <4314> you <5209> and <2532> was in need <5302>, I was <2655> not <3756> a burden <2655> to anyone <3762>, for <1063> the brothers <80> who came <2064> from <575> Macedonia <3109> fully supplied <4322> my <3450> needs <5303>. I kept <5083> myself <1683> from being a burden <4> to you <5213> in <1722> any way <3956>, and <2532> will continue to do so <5083>.
10As the truth <225> of Christ <5547> is <1510> in <1722> me <1698>, this <3778> boasting <2746> of <1519> mine <1691> will <5420> not <3756> be stopped <5420> in <1722> the regions <2824> of Achaia <882>.
11Why <5101>? Because <3754> I do <25> not <3756> love <25> you <5209>? God <2316> knows <1492> I do!
12And <1161> what <3739> I am doing <4160> I will continue to do <4160>, so that <2443> I may eliminate <1581> any opportunity <874> for those who want <2309> a chance <874> to be regarded as our equals in <1722> the things <3739> they boast <2744> about.
13For <1063> such people <5108> are false apostles <5570>, deceitful <1386> workers <2040>, disguising <3345> themselves as <1519> apostles <652> of Christ <5547>.
14And <2532> no <3756> wonder <2295>, for <1063> even Satan <4567> disguises <3345> himself <846> as <1519> an angel <32> of light <5457>.
15Therefore <3767> it is not <3756> surprising <3173> his <846> servants <1249> also <2532> disguise <3345> themselves as <5613> servants <1249> of righteousness <1343>, whose <3739> end <5056> will <1510> correspond to <2596> their <846> actions <2041>.
16I say <3004> again <3825>, let no <3361> one <5100> think <1380> that I am <1510> a fool <878>. But <1161> if <1487> you do <3361>, then <2579> at least <1065> accept <1209> me <3165> as <5613> a fool <878>, so that <2443> I too <2504> may boast <2744> a little <3397>.
17What <3739> I am saying <2980> with <1722> this <3778> boastful <2746> confidence <5287> I do <2980> not <3756> say <2980> the way the Lord <2962> would. Instead it is, as it were, foolishness <877>.
18Since <1893> many <4183> are boasting <2744> according <2596> to human standards <4561>, I too <2504> will boast <2744>.
19For <1063> since you are <1510> so wise <5429>, you put up <430> with fools <878> gladly <2234>.
20For <1063> you put up <430> with it if <1487> someone <5100> makes slaves <2615> of you <5209>, if <1487> someone <5100> exploits <2719> you, if <1487> someone <5100> takes advantage <2983> of you, if <1487> someone <5100> behaves arrogantly <1869> toward you, if <1487> someone <5100> strikes <1194> you <5209> in <1519> the face <4383>.
21(To <2596> my disgrace <819> I must say <3004> that <3754> we <2249> were <770> too weak <770> for <1722> that <3739>!) But <1161> whatever <302> anyone <5100> else dares <5111> to boast about (I am speaking <3004> foolishly <877>), I also <2504> dare <5111> to boast about the same thing.
22Are they <1510> Hebrews <1445>? So <2504> am I <2504>. Are they <1510> Israelites <2475>? So <2504> am I <2504>. Are they <1510> descendants <4690> of Abraham <11>? So <2504> am I <2504>.
23Are they <1510> servants <1249> of Christ <5547>? (I am talking <2980> like I <1473> am out of <3912> my mind <3912>!) I am even more so: with much greater <4056> labors <2873>, with <1722> far more <4056> imprisonments <5438>, with <1722> more severe <5234> beatings <4127>, facing <1722> death <2288> many times <4178>.
24Five times <3999> I received <2983> from <5259> the Jews <2453> forty <5062> lashes less <3844> one <1520>.
25Three times <5151> I was beaten with a rod <4463>. Once <530> I received a stoning <3034>. Three times <5151> I suffered shipwreck <3489>. A night and a day <3574> I spent <4160> adrift in <1722> the open sea <1037>.
26I have been on journeys <3597> many times <4178>, in dangers <2794> from rivers <4215>, in dangers <2794> from robbers <3027>, in dangers <2794> from <1537> my own countrymen <1085>, in dangers <2794> from <1537> Gentiles <1484>, in dangers <2794> in <1722> the city <4172>, in dangers <2794> in <1722> the wilderness <2047>, in dangers <2794> at <1722> sea <2281>, in dangers <2794> from <1722> false brothers <5569>,
27in hard work <2873> and <2532> toil <3449>, through <1722> many <4178> sleepless nights <70>, in <1722> hunger <3042> and <2532> thirst <1373>, many times <4178> without food <3521>, in <1722> cold <5592> and <2532> without enough clothing <1132>.
28Apart from <5565> other things <3924>, there is the daily <2596> <2250> pressure <1999> on me <3427> of my anxious concern <3308> for all <3956> the churches <1577>.
29Who <5101> is weak <770>, and <2532> I am <770> not <3756> weak <770>? Who <5101> is led into sin <4624>, and <2532> I <1473> do <4448> not <3756> burn with indignation <4448>?
30If <1487> I <2744> must <1163> boast <2744>, I will boast <2744> about the things that show my <3450> weakness <769>.
31The God <2316> and <2532> Father <3962> of the Lord <2962> Jesus <2424>, who is <1510> blessed <2128> forever <165>, knows <1492> I am <5574> not <3756> lying <5574>.
32In <1722> Damascus <1154>, the governor <1481> under King <935> Aretas <702> was guarding <5432> the city <4172> of Damascus <1153> in order to arrest <4084> me <3165>,
33but <2532> I was let down <5465> in <1722> a rope-basket <4553> through <1223> a window <2376> in the city wall <5038>, and <2532> escaped <1628> his <846> hands <5495>.