2 Corinthians 11 Parallel Bible Translations

2 Corinthians 11 ▼
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1 I want you to put up with a little foolishness from me. I'm sure that you will. I wish you would bear with me in a little foolishness. Do bear with me! I hope you will put up with me in a little foolishness. Yes, please put up with me!
2 I'm as protective of you as God is. After all, you're a virgin whom I promised in marriage to one man-Christ. For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him.
3 However, I'm afraid that as the snake deceived Eve by its tricks, so your minds may somehow be lured away from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. But 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. But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
4 When someone comes to you telling about another Jesus whom we didn't tell you about, you're willing to put up with it. When you receive a spirit that is different from the Spirit you received earlier, you're also willing to put up with that. When someone tells you good news that is different from the Good News you already accepted, you're willing to put up with that too. For 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. For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.
5 I don't think I'm inferior in any way to your super-apostles. Indeed, I consider that I am not in the least inferior to these super-apostles. I do not think I am in the least inferior to those “super-apostles.”
6 Even though I'm not good with words, I know what I'm talking about. Timothy and I have made this clear to you in every possible way. Even 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. I may indeed be untrained as a speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way.
7 Did I commit a sin when I humbled myself by telling you the Good News of God free of charge so that you could become important? Or 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? Was it a sin for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God to you free of charge?
8 I robbed other churches by taking pay from them to serve you. I robbed other churches by accepting support from them in order to serve you. I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so as to serve you.
9 When I was with you and needed something, I didn't bother any of you for help. My friends from the province of Macedonia supplied everything I needed. I kept myself from being a financial burden to you in any way, and I will continue to do that. And 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. And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed. I have kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so.
10 As surely as I have Christ's truth, my bragging will not be silenced anywhere in Greece. As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be silenced in the regions of Achaia. As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, nobody in the regions of Achaia will stop this boasting of mine.
11 Why? Because I don't love you? God knows that I do love you. And why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do! Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!
12 But I'll go on doing what I'm doing. This will take away the opportunity of those people who want to brag because they think they're like us. And 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. And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about.
13 People who brag like this are false apostles. They are dishonest workers, since they disguise themselves as Christ's apostles. For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.
14 And no wonder, even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.
15 So it's not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants who have God's approval. In the end they will get what they deserve. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.
16 Again I say that no one should think that I'm a fool. But if you do, then take me for a fool so that I can also brag a little. I 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. I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool. But if you do, then tolerate me just as you would a fool, so that I may do a little boasting.
17 What I say as I start bragging is foolishness. It's not something I would say if I were speaking for the Lord. What I am saying with this boastful confidence, I say not as the Lord would but as a fool. In this self-confident boasting I am not talking as the Lord would, but as a fool.
18 Since it's common for people to brag, I'll do it too. Since many boast according to the flesh, I too will boast. Since many are boasting in the way the world does, I too will boast.
19 You're wise, so you'll gladly put up with fools. For you gladly bear with fools, being wise yourselves! You gladly put up with fools since you are so wise!
20 When someone makes you slaves, consumes your wealth, seizes your property, orders you around, or slaps your faces, you put up with it. For 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. In fact, you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or puts on airs or slaps you in the face.
21 I'm ashamed to admit it, but Timothy and I don't have the strength to do those things to you. Whatever other people dare to brag about, I, like a fool, can also brag about. To 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. To my shame I admit that we were too weak for that! Whatever anyone else dares to boast about—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast about.
22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham's descendants? So am I. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I.
23 Are they Christ's servants? It's insane to say it, but I'm a far better one. I've done much more work, been in prison many more times, been beaten more severely, and have faced death more often. Are 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. Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again.
24 Five times the Jewish leaders had me beaten with 39 lashes; Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.
25 three times Roman officials had me beaten with clubs. Once people tried to stone me to death; three times I was shipwrecked, and I drifted on the sea for a night and a day. Three 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; Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea,
26 Because I've traveled a lot, I've faced dangers from raging rivers, from robbers, from my own people, and from other people. I've faced dangers in the city, in the open country, on the sea, and from believers who turned out to be false friends. on 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; I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers.
27 Because I've had to work so hard, I've often gone without sleep, been hungry and thirsty, and gone without food and without proper clothes during cold weather. in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.
28 Besides these external matters, I have the daily pressure of my anxiety about all the churches. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.
29 When anyone is weak, I'm weak too. When anyone is caught in a trap, I'm also harmed. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant? Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?
30 If I must brag, I will brag about the things that show how weak I am. If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.
31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is praised forever, knows that I'm not lying. The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever, knows that I am not lying.
32 The governor under King Aretas put guards around the city of Damascus to catch me. At Damascus, the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of Damascus in order to seize me, In Damascus the governor under King Aretas had the city of the Damascenes guarded in order to arrest me.
33 So I was let down in a basket through an opening in the wall and escaped from him. but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his hands. But I was lowered in a basket from a window in the wall and slipped through his hands.
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