Paul and the False Apostles

1I earnestly wish ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me. 2For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 3But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. 5For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very greatest apostles. 6But though I am rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been thoroughly made manifest among you in all things.

7Have I committed an offense in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God without reward? 8I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service. 9And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so will I keep myself. 10As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia. 11Why? because I love you not? God knoweth.

12But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them who desire occasion; that in what they glory, they may be found even as we. 13For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14And no wonder; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also are transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

Paul's Sufferings and Service

(Colossians 1:24-29)

16I say again, Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little. 17That which I speak, I speak it not according to the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting. 18Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also. 19For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise. 20For ye suffer, if a man bringeth you into bondage, if a man devoureth you, if a man taketh from you, if a man exalteth himself, if a man smiteth you on the face. 21I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak. But in whatever respect any is bold, (I speak foolishly) I am bold also. 22Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the offspring of Abraham? so am I. 23Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths often. 24From the Jews five times I received forty stripes save one. 25Thrice was I beaten with rods, once I was stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by my own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. 28Besides those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. 29Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is made to fall into sin, and I burn not?

30If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern my infirmities. 31The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not. 32In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me: 33And through a window in a basket I was let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.