I wish that you would bear with me in a little senselessness, but indeed you are bearing with me.
For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy, for I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.
But I fear that just as the serpent thoroughly deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will somehow be corrupted from the simplicity and the purity that is in Christ.
For if someone comes who preaches another Jesus, whom we did not preach, or if you receive a different spirit, which you did not receive, or a different good news, which you did not accept, you put up with that easily enough.
For I maintain that I am in nothing inferior to those “super-apostles.”
And even if I am unskilled in public speaking, yet I am not in knowledge. Indeed, in every way we have made this plain to you in all things.
Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you could be exalted because I proclaimed to you the good news of God free of charge?
I robbed other churches, accepting wages from them so that I could minister to you,
and when I was present with you and was in need, I was not a burden on anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my need. And in everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and will continue to do so.
As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of Achaia.
Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do.
But I will continue to do what I am doing, in order to cut off the opportunity from those who want an opportunity to be found as our equals in that which they boast about.
For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.
And no wonder, for the Adversary disguises himself as an angel of light.
So it is no surprise if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will be according to their works.
Paul's Sufferings as an Apostle
I say again, let no one think me senseless. But if you do, accept me as senseless, so that I too can boast a little.
That which I am speaking in this confident boasting, I am not speaking as the Lord would, but as a senseless person.
Since many boast according to the flesh, I will boast also.
For you gladly put up with senseless people, since you yourselves are so wise.
For you put up with it if someone enslaves you, if someone exploits you, if someone takes advantage of you, if someone exalts himself over you, if someone hits you in the face.
To my shame, I must say, we were too weak for that! But in whatever anyone dares to boast (I am speaking senselessly), I dare also.
Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I.
Are they servants of Christ? (I am speaking like a madman!) I surpass them! In labors—excessively; in prisons—excessively; in beatings—beyond measure; in danger of death—often.
Five times I received from the Jews 40 lashes minus one.
Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent adrift at sea;
in frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, in danger from robbers, in danger from myown people, in danger from the Gentiles, in danger in the city, in danger in the open country, in danger at sea, in danger among false brothers;
in labors and struggles, in many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and without adequate clothing.
Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me: my anxiety for all the churches.
Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?
If I must boast, I will boast of the things that concern my weakness.
The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.
In Damascus the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of the Damascenes in order to seize me,
but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his hands.