'I wish1you would bear with2me3in a little4foolishness.6Dobear with9me!10 For2I feel1a divine4jealousy5for7you,3since7I betrothed6you8to one9husband,10to present13youas a pure12virgin11to Christ.15 But2I am afraid1that4as5the6serpent7deceived8Eve9by10his13cunning,12your17thoughts16will be led astray14from18a sincere20and21pure [devotion]23to25Christ.27 For3if1someone4comes5andproclaims8another6Jesus7than10the one9we proclaimed,11or12ifyou receive15a different14spirit13[from]17the one16you received,18or19if you accepta different21gospel20[from]23the one22you accepted,24you put up with26itreadily enough.25 Indeed,2I consider1that I amnot in the least3inferior4to these5super6-apostles.7 Even2if1I amunskilled4in speaking,6I amnot8soin knowledge;10indeed,11in12every [way]13wehave made [this] plain14to17you18in15all things.16 Or1did I commit3a sin2in humbling5myself4so that6you7might be exalted,8because9I preached15God’s13gospel14to you16free of charge?10 I robbed3other1churches2byaccepting4support5from themin order to6serve9you.8 And1when I was2with3you4and5was in need,6I did8not7burden8anyone,9for11the15brothers16who came17from18Macedonia19supplied14my13need.12So20I refrained26and27will refrain28from burdening23you25in21any way.22 Asthe truth2of Christ3is1in4me,5this9boasting8of12mine13will11not10be [silenced]11in14the15regions16of Achaia.18 Andwhy?12Because3I do5not4love5you?6God8knows9I do! And2what1I am doing3I will continue to do,5in order to6undermine7the8claim9of those10who would like11to claim12that13in14their15boasted16mission they work on thesame [terms] as18we20do. For2such men3arefalse apostles,4deceitful6workmen,5disguising themselves7as8apostles9of Christ.10 And1no2wonder,3for5evenSatan7disguises8himself4as9an angel10of light.11 So3it isno1surprise2if4his8servants,7also,5disguise themselves9as10servants11of righteousness.12Their13end15will16correspond to17their20deeds.19 I repeat,12let6no3one4think6me5foolish.7But even if9101112you do, accept16me17as14a fool,15so that18I too19may boast22a little.2021 What1I am saying2with9this12boastful16confidence,14I say6not3as4the Lord5wouldbut7as8a fool.10 Since1many2boast3according to4the flesh,5I too6will boast.7 For2you3gladly1bear with3fools,45being7wise6yourselves! For2you bear1itif3someone4makes slaves6of you,5or7devours9you,or10takes [advantage]12of you,or13puts on airs,15or16strikes21you20in18the face.19 To1myshame,2I [must] say,3we6were too weak7for that!But10whatever911anyone12elsedares [to boast]13of—I am speaking16as14a fool —15I also18dare [to boast]17of that. Are they2Hebrews?1So [am] I.3Are they5Israelites?4So [am] I.6Are they9offspring7of Abraham?8So [am] I.10 Are they3servants1of Christ?2I am a better one67—I am talking5[like] a madman —4with8far greater10labors,9far more13imprisonments,12with14countless16beatings,15andoften19near death.1718 Five times3I received7at1the handsof the Jews2theforty4lashesless5one.6 Three times1I was beaten with rods.2Once3I was stoned.4Three times5I was shipwrecked;6a night and a day7I was adrift11at8sea;10 on frequent2journeys,1in danger3from rivers,4danger5from robbers,6danger7from8my own people,9danger10from11Gentiles,12danger13in14the city,15danger16in17the wilderness,18danger19at20sea,21danger22from23false brothers;24 in toil1and2hardship,3through4many6a sleepless night,5in7hunger8and9thirst,10often13without food,12in14cold15and16exposure.17 And,apart3from [other]1things,2there isthe4daily89pressure5on me6of myanxiety11for all12the13churches.14 Who1is weak,2and3I am5not4weak?5Who6is made to fall,7and8I10am11not9indignant?11 If1Imust3boast,2I will boast8of the things4that showmy7weakness.6 The1God2and3Father4of the5Lord6Jesus,7he9who is10blessed11forever,1214knows8that15I am17not16lying.17 At1Damascus,2the3governor4under King7Aretas5was guarding8the9city10of Damascus11in orderto seize12me,13 but1I was let down6in4a basket5through2a window3in7the8wall9and10escaped11his14hands.13