The Word Am I

The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians

Unlocked Literal Bible :: World English Bible Catholic

- Chapter 11 -

1
I wish that you could put up with me in some foolishness. But you are indeed putting up with me!
2
For I am jealous about you. I have a godly jealousy for you, since I promised you in marriage to one husband. I promised to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.
3
But I am afraid that somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your thoughts might be led astray, away from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
4
For suppose that someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we preached. Or suppose that you receive a different spirit than what you received. Or suppose that you receive a different gospel than the one you received. You put up with these things well enough!
5
For I think that I am not in the least inferior to those so-called super-apostles.
6
But even if I am untrained in giving speeches, I am not untrained in knowledge. In every way and in all things we have made this known to you.
7
Did I sin by humbling myself so you might be exalted? For I freely preached the gospel of God to you.
8
I robbed other churches by accepting support from them so that I could serve you.
9
When I was with you and I was in need, I did not burden anyone. For my needs were met by the brothers who came from Macedonia. In everything I have kept myself from being a burden to you, and I will continue to do that.
10
As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be silenced in the parts of Achaia.
11
Why? Because I do not love you? God knows.
12
And what I do I will keep doing, in order that I may take away the claim for criticizing me and the claim for which they want to boast-that they are found to be doing the same work that we are doing.
13
For such people are false apostles and deceitful workers. They disguise themselves as apostles of Christ.
14
And this is no surprise, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
15
It is no great surprise if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their fate will be what their deeds deserve.

Paul’s Suffering and Service

(Colossians 1:24–29)
16
I say again: Let no one think I am a fool. But if you do, receive me as a fool so I may boast a little.
17
What I am saying about this boastful confidence is not condoned by the Lord, but I am speaking as a fool.
18
Since many people boast according to the flesh, I will also boast.
19
For you gladly put up with fools. You are wise yourselves!
20
For you put up with someone if he enslaves you, if he consumes you, if he takes advantage of you, if he considers himself better than you, or if he slaps you in the face.
21
I will say to our shame that we were too weak to do that. Yet if anyone boasts-I am speaking like a fool-I too will boast.
22
Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I.
23
Are they servants of Christ? I speak as though I were out of my mind. I am more. I have been in even more hard work, in far more prisons, in beatings beyond measure, in facing many dangers of death.
24
From Jews I received five times the “forty lashes minus one.”
25
Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. I have spent a night and a day on the open sea.
26
I have been on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, in danger from robbers, in danger from my own people, in danger from the Gentiles, in danger in the city, in danger in the wilderness, in danger at sea, in danger from false brothers.
27
I have been at hard work and in hardship, in many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often in fasting, in cold and nakedness.
28
Apart from everything else, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.
29
Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who has been caused to stumble, and I do not burn?
30
If I must boast, I will boast about what shows my weaknesses.
31
The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, the one who is praised forever, knows that I am not lying!
32
At Damascus, the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of Damascus to arrest me.
33
But I was lowered in a basket through a window in the wall, and I escaped from his hands.
1
I wish that you would bear with me in a little foolishness, but indeed you do bear with me.
2
For 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.
3
But 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.
4
For 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 differentgood newswhich you didn’t accept, you put up with that well enough.
5
For I reckon that I am not at all behind the very best apostles.
6
But 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.
7
Or 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?
8
I robbed other assemblies, taking wages from them that I might serve you.
9
When 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.
10
As the truth of Christ is in me, no one will stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia.
11
Why? Because I don’t love you? God knows.
12
But 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.
13
For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as Christ’s apostles.
14
And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.
15
It is no great thing therefore if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

Paul’s Suffering and Service

(Colossians 1:24–29)
16
I say again, let no one think me foolish. But if so, yet receive me as foolish, that I also may boast a little.
17
That which I speak, I don’t speak according to the Lord, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of boasting.
18
Seeing that many boast after the flesh, I will also boast.
19
For you bear with the foolish gladly, being wise.
20
For 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.
21
To 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.
22
Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the offspring(a) of Abraham? So am I.
23
Are 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.
24
Five times I received forty stripes minus one from the Jews.
25
Three 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.
26
I 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;
27
in labor and travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, and in cold and nakedness.
28
Besides those things that are outside, there is that which presses on me daily: anxiety for all the assemblies.
29
Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is caused to stumble, and I don’t burn with indignation?
30
If I must boast, I will boast of the things that concern my weakness.
31
The God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, he who is blessed forever more, knows that I don’t lie.
32
In Damascus the governor under King Aretas guarded the Damascenescity, desiring to arrest me.
33
I was let down in a basket through a window by the wall, and escaped his hands.

Footnotes

(a)11:22 or, seed