Christian Standard Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

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

1I wish that you would bear with me in a little foolishness; but indeed you are bearing 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 a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin.

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 am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.

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!

4For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully.

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

5For I consider myself not in the least inferior to the most eminent apostles.

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.

6But even if I am unskilled in speech, yet I am not so in knowledge; in fact, in every way we have made this evident to you in all things.

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?

7Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you without charge?

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

8I robbed other churches by taking wages from them to serve you;

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 present with you and was in need, I was not a burden to anyone; for when the brethren came from Macedonia they fully supplied my need, and in everything I kept myself from being a burden to you, and will continue to do so.

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

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

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

11Why? Because I do not love you? God knows 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 what I am doing I will continue to do, so that I may cut off opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the matter about which they are boasting.

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

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

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

14No wonder, for 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.

15Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.

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, let no one think me foolish; but if you do, receive me even as foolish, so that I also may 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.

17What I am saying, I am not saying as the Lord would, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of boasting.

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

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

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

19For you, being so wise, tolerate the foolish gladly.

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.

20For you tolerate it if anyone enslaves you, anyone devours you, anyone takes advantage of you, anyone exalts himself, anyone hits 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:

21To my shame I must say that we have been weak by comparison. But in whatever respect anyone else is bold-- I speak in foolishness-- I am just as bold myself.

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 speak as if insane-- I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death.

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

24Five times I received from the Jews 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, a night and a day I have spent in the deep.

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 been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren;

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

27I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.

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

28Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of 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 being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern?

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

30If I have to boast, I will boast of what pertains to my weakness.

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

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

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

32In Damascus the ethnarch under Aretas the king was guarding the city of the Damascenes in order to seize me,

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

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

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

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org