2 Corinthians 11–13

1I wish that you would bear with me in a little foolishness, but indeed you do bear with me.

2For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy. For I promised you in marriage to one husband, that I might present you as a pure virgin to Christ.

3But I am afraid that somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve in his craftiness, so your minds might be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

4For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we didn’t preach, or if you receive a different spirit which you didn’t receive, or a different “good news” which you didn’t accept, you put up with that well enough.

5For I reckon that I am not at all behind the very best apostles.

6But though I am unskilled in speech, yet I am not unskilled in knowledge. No, in every way we have been revealed to you in all things.

7Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached to you God’s Good News free of charge?

8I robbed other assemblies, taking wages from them that I might serve you.

9When I was present with you and was in need, I wasn’t a burden on anyone, for the brothers, when they came from Macedonia, supplied the measure of my need. In everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and I will continue to do so.

10As the truth of Christ is in me, no one will stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia.

11Why? Because I don’t love you? God knows.

12But what I do, that I will continue to do, that I may cut off opportunity from those who desire an opportunity, that in which they boast, they may be recognized just like us.

13For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as Christ’s apostles.

14And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.

15It is no great thing therefore if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

16I say again, let no one think me foolish. But if so, yet receive me as foolish, that I also may boast a little.

17That which I speak, I don’t speak according to the Lord, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of boasting.

18Seeing that many boast after the flesh, I will also boast.

19For you bear with the foolish gladly, being wise.

20For you bear with a man if he brings you into bondage, if he devours you, if he takes you captive, if he exalts himself, or if he strikes you on the face.

21To my shame, I speak as though we had been weak. Yet in whatever way anyone is bold (I speak in foolishness), I am bold also.

22Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the offspring of Abraham? So am I.

23Are they servants of Christ? (I speak as one beside himself.) I am more so: in labors more abundantly, in prisons more abundantly, in stripes above measure, and in deaths often.

24Five times I received forty stripes minus one from the Jews.

25Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I suffered shipwreck. I have been a night and a day in the deep.

26I have been in travels often, perils of rivers, perils of robbers, perils from my countrymen, perils from the Gentiles, perils in the city, perils in the wilderness, perils in the sea, perils among false brothers;

27in labor and travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, and in cold and nakedness.

28Besides those things that are outside, there is that which presses on me daily: anxiety for all the assemblies.

29Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is caused to stumble, and I don’t burn with indignation?

30If I must boast, I will boast of the things that concern my weakness.

31The God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, he who is blessed forever more, knows that I don’t lie.

32In Damascus the governor under King Aretas guarded the Damascenes’ city, desiring to arrest me.

33I was let down in a basket through a window by the wall, and escaped his hands.

1It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast, but I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

2I know a man in Christ who was caught up into the third heaven fourteen years ago—whether in the body, I don’t know, or whether out of the body, I don’t know; God knows.

3I know such a man (whether in the body, or outside of the body, I don’t know; God knows),

4how he was caught up into Paradise and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

5On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in my weaknesses.

6For if I would desire to boast, I will not be foolish; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, so that no man may think more of me than that which he sees in me or hears from me.

7By reason of the exceeding greatness of the revelations, that I should not be exalted excessively, a thorn in the flesh was given to me: a messenger of Satan to torment me, that I should not be exalted excessively.

8Concerning this thing, I begged the Lord three times that it might depart from me.

9He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me.

10Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, and in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong.

11I have become foolish in boasting. You compelled me, for I ought to have been commended by you, for I am in no way inferior to the very best apostles, though I am nothing.

12Truly the signs of an apostle were worked among you in all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty works.

13For what is there in which you were made inferior to the rest of the assemblies, unless it is that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!

14Behold, this is the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you; for I seek not your possessions, but you. For the children ought not to save up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

15I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more abundantly, am I loved the less?

16Even so, I myself didn’t burden you. But you might say that being crafty, I caught you with deception.

17Did I take advantage of you by anyone of those whom I have sent to you?

18I exhorted Titus, and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus take any advantage of you? Didn’t we walk in the same spirit? Didn’t we walk in the same steps?

19Again, do you think that we are excusing ourselves to you? In the sight of God we speak in Christ. But all things, beloved, are for your edifying.

20For I am afraid that perhaps when I come, I might find you not the way I want to, and that I might be found by you as you don’t desire, that perhaps there would be strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, whisperings, proud thoughts, or riots,

21that again when I come my God would humble me before you, and I would mourn for many of those who have sinned before now, and not repented of the uncleanness, sexual immorality, and lustfulness which they committed.

1This is the third time I am coming to you. “At the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.”

2I have warned previously, and I warn again, as when I was present the second time, so now, being absent, I write to those who have sinned before now and to all the rest that if I come again, I will not spare,

3seeing that you seek a proof of Christ who speaks in me who is not weak, but is powerful in you.

4For he was crucified through weakness, yet he lives through the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we will live with him through the power of God toward you.

5Examine your own selves, whether you are in the faith. Test your own selves. Or don’t you know about your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.

6But I hope that you will know that we aren’t disqualified.

7Now I pray to God that you do no evil; not that we may appear approved, but that you may do that which is honorable, though we may seem to have failed.

8For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.

9For we rejoice when we are weak and you are strong. We also pray for this: your becoming perfect.

10For this cause I write these things while absent, that I may not deal sharply when present, according to the authority which the Lord gave me for building up and not for tearing down.

11Finally, brothers, rejoice! Be perfected. Be comforted. Be of the same mind. Live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.

12Greet one another with a holy kiss.

13All the saints greet you.

14The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s love, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.