2Corinthians 11

Paul and the False Apostles

11I hope you will put up with a little more of my foolishness. Please bear with me.G3785G430G3450G3397G877G2532G235G430G34502For I am jealous for you with the jealousy of God himself. I promised you as a pure bride

to one husband—Christ.G1063G2206G5209G2316G2205G1063G718G5209G1520G435G3936G53G3933G55473But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent.G1161G5399G3381G4458G5613G3789G1818G2096G1722G846G3834G3779G5216G3540G5351G575G572G1519G55474You happily put up with whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different kind of Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed.G1063G1487G3303G2064G2784G243G2424G3739G2784G3756G2784G2228G2983G2087G4151G3739G2983G3756G2983G2228G2087G2098G3739G1209G3756G1209G430G2573G4305But I don’t consider myself inferior in any way to these “super apostles” who teach such things.G1063G3049G5302G3367G5302G5228G3029G6526I may be unskilled as a speaker, but I’m not lacking in knowledge. We have made this clear to you in every possible way.G1161G1499G2399G3056G235G3756G1108G235G1722G3956G5319G1519G5209G1722G39567Was I wrong when I humbled myself and honored you by preaching God’s Good News to you without expecting anything in return?G2228G4160G266G5013G1683G2443G5210G5312G3754G2097G5213G2098G2316G14328I “robbed” other churches by accepting their contributions so I could serve you at no cost.G4813G243G1577G2983G3800G4314G1248G5216G12489And when I was with you and didn’t have enough to live on, I did not become a financial burden to anyone. For the brothers who came from Macedonia brought me all that I needed. I have never been a burden to you, and I never will be.G2532G3918G4314G5209G2532G5302G3756G2655G3762G1063G5303G3450G80G2064G575G3109G4322G2532G1722G3956G5083G1683G4G5213G2532G508310As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, no one in all of Greece

will ever stop me from boasting about this.G225G5547G2076G1722G1698G3754G3756G4972G5420G1519G1691G3778G2746G1722G2824G88211Why? Because I don’t love you? God knows that I do.G1302G3754G25G5209G3756G2316G149212But I will continue doing what I have always done. This will undercut those who are looking for an opportunity to boast that their work is just like ours.G1161G3739G4160G2532G4160G2443G1581G874G2309G874G2443G1722G3739G2744G2147G2532G2531G224913These people are false apostles. They are deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ.G1063G5108G5570G1386G2040G3345G1519G652G554714But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.G2532G3756G2298G1063G4567G846G3345G1519G32G545715So it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. In the end they will get the punishment their wicked deeds deserve.G3767G3756G3173G1499G846G1249G1499G3345G5613G1249G1343G3739G5056G2071G2596G846G2041

Paul’s Many Trials

16Again I say, don’t think that I am a fool to talk like this. But even if you do, listen to me, as you would to a foolish person, while I also boast a little.G3004G3825G1380G3361G5100G1380G1511G3165G878G1490G2579G5613G878G1209G3165G2443G2504G2744G5100G339717Such boasting is not from the Lord, but I am acting like a fool.G3739G2980G2980G3756G2596G2962G235G5613G1722G877G1722G5026G5287G274618And since others boast about their human achievements, I will, too.G1893G4183G2744G2596G4561G2744G250419After all, you think you are so wise, but you enjoy putting up with fools!G1063G430G878G2234G5607G542920You put up with it when someone enslaves you, takes everything you have, takes advantage of you, takes control of everything, and slaps you in the face.G1063G430G1536G2615G5209G2615G1536G2719G1536G2983G1536G1869G1536G1194G5209G1519G438321I’m ashamed to say that we’ve been too “weak” to do that! But whatever they dare to boast about—I’m talking like a fool again—I dare to boast about it, too.G3004G2596G819G5613G3754G2249G770G1161G1722G3739G302G5100G5111G3004G1722G877G5111G250422Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I.G1526G1445G2504G1526G2475G2504G1526G4690G11G250423Are they servants of Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again.G1526G1249G5547G2980G3912G1473G5228G1722G2873G4056G1722G4127G5234G1722G5438G4056G1722G2288G417824Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes.G5259G2453G3999G2983G5062G3844G339125Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea.G5151G4463G530G3034G5151G3489G3574G4160G1722G103726I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not.

G3597G4178G2794G4215G2794G3027G2794G1537G1085G2794G1537G1484G2794G1722G4172G2794G1722G2047G2794G1722G2281G2794G1722G556927I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.G1722G2873G2532G3449G1722G70G4178G1722G3042G2532G1373G1722G3521G4178G1722G5592G2532G113228Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches.G5565G3924G3588G1999G3450G2250G2596G3308G3956G157729Who is weak without my feeling that weakness? Who is led astray, and I do not burn with anger?G5101G770G2532G770G3756G770G5101G4624G2532G1473G4448G375630If I must boast, I would rather boast about the things that show how weak I am.G1487G1163G2744G2744G3588G3450G76931God, the Father of our Lord Jesus, who is worthy of eternal praise, knows I am not lying.G2316G2532G3962G2257G2962G2424G5547G3588G5607G2128G1519G165G1492G3754G5574G375632When I was in Damascus, the governor under King Aretas kept guards at the city gates to catch me.G1722G1154G1481G702G935G5432G4172G1153G5432G2309G4084G316533I had to be lowered in a basket through a window in the city wall to escape from him.G2532G1223G2376G1722G4553G5465G1223G5038G2532G1628G846G5495