1I wish you were bearing with me in a little of foolishness; but indeed you do endure me.
2For I am jealous as to you with the jealousy of God; for I have betrothed you to one husband, a pure virgin to present to the Anointed One,
3however I am afraid lest perhaps, as the serpent deceived Eve in his craftiness, thus your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity and the purity in the Anointed One.
4For if indeed the one coming proclaims another Jesus whom we did not proclaim, or you receive a different spirit which you did not receive, or different glad tidings which you did not accept, well you are enduring it.
5For I reckon in nothing to have been inferior to those most eminent sent ones.
6However if even I am unpolished in speech, yet not in knowledge, but in every way in all things were manifested to you.
7Or did I commit a sin, humbling myself so that you yourselves may be lifted up, because freely I announced to you the good news of God?
8Other assemblies I robbed, having received support for the service toward you,
9and being present with you and when I had been in need, I did burden no one; for the brothers, when they had come from Macedonia, completely filled up my need, and in everything I kept myself unburdensome to you, and will keep.
10The truth of the Anointed One is in me, that this boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of Achaia.
11Because of why? Because surely I do love you? God knows I do!
12However what I do, also I will do, so that I may cut off the opportunity of those who desire an opportunity, that in what they are boasting they may be found even as also we ourselves.
13For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as sent ones of the Anointed One;
14and no wonder; for the adversary himself masquerades as a messenger of light;
15therefore it is not surprising if even his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness, whose the end will be according to their deeds.
16Again I say, no one may think me to be a fool; then if not, indeed receive me even as a fool, that I myself also may boast a little.
17What I am saying, I am saying not according to the Lord, but as in foolishness, in this the confidence of boasting.
18Since many boast according to the flesh, I myself also will boast.
19For gladly you bear with the fools, being wise!
20For you bear it if anyone enslaves you, if anyone devours you, if anyone takes from you, if anyone exalts himself, if anyone strikes you in the face.
21I speak as to dishonor, as that we ourselves have been weak! However in whatever anyone may be daring — in foolishness I speak — I myself also am daring.
22Are they Hebrews? I myself also. Are they Israelites? I myself also. Are they descendants of Abraham? I myself also.
23Are they servants of the Anointed One? As being beside myself I speak; I myself am above measure: in labors more abundantly, in imprisonments more abundantly, in beatings above measure, in deaths often.
24From the Jews five times I received forty lashes minus one,
25three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day in the deep sea I have passed;
26in journeyings often, in perils of rivers, in perils of robbers, in perils from my own race, in perils from the nations, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils on the sea, in perils among false brothers,
27in labor and toil, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness;
28besides the things external, the stoppage on me every day, the care for all the assemblies is mine.
29Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is led into sin, and surely I myself do burn inwardly?
30If it behooves me to boast, I will boast in the things of my weakness.
31God and Father of our Lord Jesus the Anointed One, who is being blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.
32In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king was guarding the city of the Damascenes, wishing to seize me,
33but through a window in a basket I was let down through the wall, and I escaped his hands.