2 Corinthians 11:1-9 ▼

1 I wish you would bear with me [while I indulge] in a little foolishness; but indeed you are bearing with me [as you read this].

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

3 But I am afraid that, even as the serpent beguiled Eve by his cunning, your minds may be corrupted and led away from the simplicity of [your sincere and] pure devotion to Christ.

4 For [you seem willing to allow it] if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted. You tolerate all this beautifully [welcoming the deception].

5 Yet I consider myself in no way inferior to the [so-called] super-apostles.

6 But even if I am unskilled in speaking, yet I am not [untrained] in knowledge [I know what I am talking about]; but we have made this evident to you in every way, in all things.

7 Or did I [perhaps] sin by humbling myself so that you might be exalted and honored, because I preached God’s gospel to you free of charge?

8 I robbed other churches by accepting [more than their share of] financial support for my ministry to you.

9 And when I was with you and ran short [financially], I did not burden any of you; for what I needed was fully supplied by the brothers (Silas and Timothy) who came from Macedonia (the church at Philippi). So I kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so.