English Standard Version

Berean Study Bible

1I wish you would bear with me in a little foolishness. Do bear with me!

1I hope you will bear with a little of my foolishness, but you are already doing that.

2For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.

2I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. For I promised you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.

3But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

3I am afraid, however, that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may be led astray from your simple and pure devotion to Christ.

4For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough.

4For if someone comes and proclaims a Jesus other than the One we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit than the One you received, or a different gospel than the one you accepted, you put up with it way too easily.

5Indeed, I consider that I am not in the least inferior to these super-apostles.

5I consider myself in no way inferior to those “super-apostles.”

6Even if I am unskilled in speaking, I am not so in knowledge; indeed, in every way we have made this plain to you in all things.

6Although I am not a polished speaker, I am certainly not lacking in knowledge. We have made this clear to you in every way possible.

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

7Was it a sin for me to humble myself in order to exalt you, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge?

8I robbed other churches by accepting support from them in order to serve you.

8I robbed other churches by accepting their support in order to serve you.

9And when I was with you and was in need, I did not burden anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my need. So I refrained and will refrain from burdening you in any way.

9And when I was with you and in need, I was not a burden to anyone; for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my needs. I have refrained from being a burden to you in any way, and I will continue to do so.

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

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

11And why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!

11Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!

12And what I am doing I will continue to do, in order to undermine the claim of those who would like to claim that in their boasted mission they work on the same terms as we do.

12But I will keep on doing what I am doing, in order to undercut those who want an opportunity to be regarded as our equals in the things of which they boast.

13For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.

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

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

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

15So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.

15It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their actions.

16I repeat, let no one think me foolish. But even if you do, accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little.

16I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool. But if you do, then receive me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little.

17What I am saying with this boastful confidence, I say not as the Lord would but as a fool.

17In this confident boasting of mine, I am not speaking as the Lord would, but as a fool.

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

18Since many are boasting according to the flesh, I too will boast.

19For you gladly bear with fools, being wise yourselves!

19For you gladly tolerate fools, since you are so wise.

20For you bear it if someone makes slaves of you, or devours you, or takes advantage of you, or puts on airs, or strikes you in the face.

20In fact, you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or exalts himself or strikes you in the face.

21To my shame, I must say, we were too weak for that! But whatever anyone else dares to boast of—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast of that.

21To my shame I concede that we were too weak for that! Speaking as a fool, however, I can match what anyone else dares to boast about.

22Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring 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 am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death.

23Are they servants of Christ? I am speaking like I am out of my mind, but I am so much more: in harder labor, in more imprisonments, in worse beatings, in frequent danger of death.

24Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one.

24Five times I received from the Jews the 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 I was adrift at sea;

25Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked. I spent a night and a day in the open sea.

26on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers;

26In my frequent journeys, I have been in danger from rivers and from bandits, in danger from my countrymen and from the Gentiles, in danger in the city and in the country, in danger on the sea and among false brothers,

27in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.

27in labor and toil and often without sleep, in hunger and thirst and often without food, in cold and exposure.

28And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.

28Apart from these external trials, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.

29Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant?

29Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not burn with grief?

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

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

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

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

32At Damascus, the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of Damascus in order to seize me,

32In Damascus, the governor under King Aretas secured the city of the Damascenes in order to arrest me.

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

33But I was lowered in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his grasp.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

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