Christian Standard Bible

New Living Translation

1I wish you would put up with a little foolishness from me. Yes, do put up with me!

1I hope you will put up with a little more of my foolishness. Please bear with me.

2For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy, because I have promised you in marriage to one husband--to present a pure virgin to Christ.

2For I am jealous for you with the jealousy of God himself. I promised you as a pure bride to one husband—Christ.

3But I fear that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your minds may be seduced from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

3But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent.

4For if a person comes and preaches another Jesus, whom we did not preach, or you receive a different spirit, which you had not received, or a different gospel, which you had not accepted, you put up with it splendidly!

4You happily put up with whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different kind of Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed.

5Now I consider myself in no way inferior to those "super-apostles."

5But I don’t consider myself inferior in any way to these “super apostles” who teach such things.

6Even if I am untrained in public speaking, I am certainly not untrained in knowledge. Indeed, we have in every way made that clear to you in everything.

6I may be unskilled as a speaker, but I’m not lacking in knowledge. We have made this clear to you in every possible way.

7Or did I commit a sin by humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge?

7Was I wrong when I humbled myself and honored you by preaching God’s Good News to you without expecting anything in return?

8I robbed other churches by taking pay from them to minister to you.

8I “robbed” other churches by accepting their contributions so I could serve you at no cost.

9When I was present with you and in need, I did not burden anyone, since the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my needs. I have kept myself, and will keep myself, from burdening you in any way.

9And when I was with you and didn’t have enough to live on, I did not become a financial burden to anyone. For the brothers who came from Macedonia brought me all that I needed. I have never been a burden to you, and I never will be.

10As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of Achaia.

10As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, no one in all of Greece will ever stop me from boasting about this.

11Why? Because I don't love you? God knows I do!

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

12But I will continue to do what I am doing, in order to deny an opportunity to those who want to be regarded as our equals in what they boast about.

12But I will continue doing what I have always done. This will undercut those who are looking for an opportunity to boast that their work is just like ours.

13For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.

13These people are false apostles. They are deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ.

14And no wonder! For Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

14But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

15So it is no great surprise if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will be according to their works.

15So it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. In the end they will get the punishment their wicked deeds deserve. Paul’s Many Trials

16I repeat: Let no one consider me a fool. But if you do, at least accept me as a fool so that I can also boast a little.

16Again I say, don’t think that I am a fool to talk like this. But even if you do, listen to me, as you would to a foolish person, while I also boast a little.

17What I am saying in this matter of boasting, I don't speak as the Lord would, but as it were, foolishly.

17Such boasting is not from the Lord, but I am acting like a fool.

18Since many boast according to the flesh, I will also boast.

18And since others boast about their human achievements, I will, too.

19For you, being so wise, gladly put up with fools!

19After all, you think you are so wise, but you enjoy putting up with fools!

20In fact, you put up with it if someone enslaves you, if someone exploits you, if someone takes advantage of you, if someone is arrogant toward you, if someone slaps you in the face.

20You put up with it when someone enslaves you, takes everything you have, takes advantage of you, takes control of everything, and slaps you in the face.

21I say this to our shame: We have been too weak for that! But in whatever anyone dares to boast--I am talking foolishly--I also dare:

21I’m ashamed to say that we’ve been too “weak” to do that! But whatever they dare to boast about—I’m talking like a fool again—I dare to boast about it, too.

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

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

23Are they servants of Christ? I'm talking like a madman--I'm a better one: with far more labors, many more imprisonments, far worse beatings, many times near death.

23Are they servants of Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again.

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

24Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes.

25Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I received a stoning. Three times I was shipwrecked. I have spent a night and a day in the open sea.

25Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea.

26On frequent journeys, I faced dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own people, dangers from Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, and dangers among false brothers;

26I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not.

27toil and hardship, many sleepless nights, hunger and thirst, often without food, cold, and without clothing.

27I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.

28Not to mention other things, there is the daily pressure on me: my concern for all the churches.

28Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches.

29Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?

29Who is weak without my feeling that weakness? Who is led astray, and I do not burn with anger?

30If boasting is necessary, I will boast about my weaknesses.

30If I must boast, I would rather boast about the things that show how weak I am.

31The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is blessed forever, knows I am not lying.

31God, the Father of our Lord Jesus, who is worthy of eternal praise, knows I am not lying.

32In Damascus, a ruler under King Aretas guarded the city of Damascus in order to arrest me.

32When I was in Damascus, the governor under King Aretas kept guards at the city gates to catch me.

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

33I had to be lowered in a basket through a window in the city wall to escape from him.

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.