1I hope you will bear with me in a little foolishness - yes, please bear with me. 2For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy; for I have espoused (promised) you to one Husband - to Christ, so that I might present you as a chaste (pure) virgin to Him. 3But I fear that, just as the serpent beguiled Eve through his craftiness, so your minds may somehow be corrupted or led astray from the sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4For if someone comes preaching another jesus (savior), other than the Jesus – one that we have not preached, or if you receive a spirit different from the Spirit you received through us, or a gospel different from the gospel which you have already accepted, you might well put up with it – and be led astray by him. 5For I do not consider myself in the least inferior to those “super-apostles.” 6But though I may indeed be unskilled as a speaker, I do not lack in knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every possible way.

7Was I wrong to humble myself that you might be exalted, because I have preached the gospel of God to you free of charge? 8I “robbed” other churches by accepting their support so I could serve you at no cost to you. 9And when I was with you, and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone; for what I lacked, the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied; and in all things I have avoided being burdensome to you, and I will continue to do so. 10As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, nobody in the regions of Achaia shall stop me from this boasting. 11Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do! 12But I will continue what I am doing, to undercut those who claim that they work in the same ministry as we. 13For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. 14And no wonder; for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15Therefore, it is not surprising if his ministers also masquerade as the ministers of righteousness. Their end shall be what their deeds deserve.

16I repeat: Let no man take me for a fool. But if you do, hear me as you would a fool, while I may boast a little. 17This confident boasting that I do is not from the Lord, but as foolish boasting. 18Since many others boast about their human achievements, I will also. 19For you gladly put up with fools, since you consider yourselves so wise. 20For you even put up with someone who enslaves, exploits, or takes advantage of you, or puts on airs, or even slaps you in the face. 21I am ashamed to say we were too “weak” to do that. Nevertheless, whatever someone else boasts about - I am speaking as a fool - I brag about, too. 22Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the descendants of Abraham? So am I. 23Are they servants (ministers) of Christ? I am so much more! (I speak as a fool (as one insane, delirious)) - in labor, I have worked more; in stripes (beatings), above counting; in prisons, more often; in exposure to death, often. 24Five times I received forty stripes, minus one, from the Jews. 25Three times was I beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I have spent a night and a day in the deep (open sea); 26Often traveling, threatened by rivers, robbers, my own countrymen, Gentiles, in the city, in the wilderness, at sea, among false believers; 27In laboring, toiling, often deprived of sleep, food, water, warmth and warm clothing. 28Beside all those physical things, I face the daily pressure of the care and concern for all the churches. 29Who is weak, that I do not also feel that weakness? Who is led astray, and I am not indignant? 30If I must boast, I will boast of the things which show my weakness. 31The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is blessed for evermore, knows that I am not lying. 32In Damascus, the governor under King Aretas, kept the city of the Damascenes under guard, in hopes of arresting me; 33But I was lowered down through a window by the city wall in a basket, and slipped through his hands.