2 Corinthians 11
Easy-to-Read Version
Paul and the False Apostles
11 I wish you would be patient with me even when I am a little foolish. But you are already patient with me. 2 I am jealous for you with a jealousy that comes from God. I promised to give you to Christ. He must be your only husband. I want to give you to Christ to be his pure bride.[a] 3 But I am afraid that your minds will be led away from your true and pure following of Christ. This could happen just as Eve was tricked by that snake with his clever lies. 4 You seem to be quite patient with anyone who comes to you and tells you about a Jesus that is different from the Jesus we told you about. You seem very willing to accept a spirit or a message that is different from the Spirit and message that you received from us.
5 I don’t think that those “super apostles” are any better than I am. 6 It is true that I am not a trained speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have shown this to you clearly in every way.
7 I did the work of telling God’s Good News to you without pay. I humbled myself to make you important. Do you think that was wrong? 8 I accepted pay from other churches. I took their money so that I could serve you. 9 If I needed something when I was with you, I did not trouble any of you. The brothers who came from Macedonia gave me all that I needed. I did not allow myself to be a burden to you in any way. And I will never be a burden to you. 10 No one there in Achaia will stop me from boasting about that. I say this with the truth of Christ in me. 11 And why do I not burden you? Do you think it is because I don’t love you? God knows that I love you.
12 And I will continue doing what I am doing now, because I want to stop those people from having a reason to boast. They would like to say that the work they boast about is the same as ours. 13 They are false apostles, lying workers. They only pretend to be apostles of Christ. 14 That does not surprise us, because even Satan changes himself to look like an angel of light.[b] 15 So it does not surprise us if Satan’s servants make themselves look like servants who work for what is right. But in the end those people will get the punishment they deserve.
Paul Tells About His Sufferings
16 I tell you again: No one should think that I am a fool. But if you think I am a fool, then accept me as you would accept a fool. Then I can boast a little too. 17 But I am not talking the way the Lord would talk. I am boasting like a fool. 18 Others are boasting about their lives in the world. So I will boast too. 19 You are wise, so you will gladly be patient with fools! 20 I say this because you are even patient with someone who forces you to do things and uses you. You are patient with those who trick you, or think they are better than you, or hit you in the face! 21 I am ashamed to say it, but we were too “weak” to do such things to you.
But if anyone dares to boast, I will too. (I am talking like a fool.) 22 Are those people Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites[c]? So am I. Are they from Abraham’s family? So am I. 23 Are they serving Christ? I am serving him more. (I am crazy to talk like this.) I have worked much harder than they have. I have been in prison more often. I have been hurt more in beatings. I have been near death many times.
24 Five times the Jews have given me their punishment of 39 lashes with a whip. 25 Three different times I was beaten with rods. One time I was almost killed with rocks. Three times I was in ships that were wrecked, and one of those times I spent the night and the next day in the sea. 26 In my constant traveling I have been in danger from rivers, from thieves, from my own people, and from people who are not Jews. I have been in danger in cities, in places where no one lives, and on the sea. And I have been in danger from people who pretend to be believers but are not.
27 I have done hard and tiring work, and many times I did not sleep. I have been hungry and thirsty. Many times I have been without food. I have been cold and without clothes. 28 And there are many other problems. One of these is the care I have for all the churches. I worry about each group of believers every day. 29 I feel weak every time another person is weak. I feel deeply upset every time another person is led into sin.
30 If I must boast, I will boast about the things that show I am weak. 31 God knows that I am not lying. He is the God and Father of the Lord Jesus, and he is to be praised forever. 32 When I was in Damascus, the governor under King Aretas wanted to arrest me, so he put guards around the city. 33 But some friends put me in a basket. Then they put the basket through a hole in the wall and lowered me down. So I escaped from the governor.
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 11:2 bride Literally, “virgin.”
- 2 Corinthians 11:14 angel of light Messenger from God. The devil fools people so that they think he is from God.
- 2 Corinthians 11:22 Hebrews … Israelites Other names for the Jewish people.
2 Corinthians 11
King James Version
11 Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me.
2 For 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.
3 But 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.
4 For 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.
5 For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.
6 But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things.
7 Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?
8 I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service.
9 And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself.
10 As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.
11 Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth.
12 But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.
13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
16 I say again, let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little.
17 That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.
18 Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also.
19 For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise.
20 For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face.
21 I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak. Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold also.
22 Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.
23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.
24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine 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;
27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.
29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?
30 If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.
31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.
32 In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me:
33 And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.
2 Corinthians 11
New King James Version
Concern for Their Faithfulness
11 Oh, that you would bear with me in a little (A)folly—and indeed you do bear with me. 2 For I am (B)jealous for you with godly jealousy. For (C)I have betrothed you to one husband, (D)that I may present you (E)as a chaste virgin to Christ. 3 But I fear, lest somehow, as (F)the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds (G)may be corrupted from the [a]simplicity that is in Christ. 4 For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a (H)different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!
Paul and False Apostles
5 For I consider that (I)I am not at all inferior to the most eminent apostles. 6 Even though (J)I am untrained in speech, yet I am not (K)in knowledge. But (L)we have [b]been thoroughly manifested among you in all things.
7 Did I commit sin in [c]humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you (M)free of charge? 8 I robbed other churches, taking wages from them to minister to you. 9 And when I was present with you, and in need, (N)I was a burden to no one, for what I lacked (O)the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied. And in everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so I will keep myself. 10 (P)As the truth of Christ is in me, (Q)no one shall stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia. 11 Why? (R)Because I do not love you? God knows!
12 But what I do, I will also continue to do, (S)that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast. 13 For such (T)are false apostles, (U)deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into (V)an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, (W)whose end will be according to their works.
Reluctant Boasting
16 I say again, let no one think me a fool. If otherwise, at least receive me as a fool, that I also may boast a little. 17 What I speak, (X)I speak not according to the Lord, but as it were, foolishly, in this confidence of boasting. 18 Seeing that many boast according to the flesh, I also will boast. 19 For you put up with fools gladly, (Y)since you yourselves are wise! 20 For you put up with it (Z)if one brings you into bondage, if one devours you, if one takes from you, if one exalts himself, if one strikes you on the face. 21 To our shame (AA)I say that we were too weak for that! But (AB)in whatever anyone is bold—I speak foolishly—I am bold also.
Suffering for Christ
22 Are they (AC)Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: (AD)in labors more abundant, (AE)in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, (AF)in deaths often. 24 From the Jews five times I received (AG)forty (AH)stripes minus one. 25 Three times I was (AI)beaten with rods; (AJ)once I was stoned; three times I (AK)was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26 in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, (AL)in perils of my own countrymen, (AM)in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27 in weariness and toil, (AN)in sleeplessness often, (AO)in hunger and thirst, in (AP)fastings often, in cold and nakedness— 28 besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: (AQ)my deep concern for all the churches. 29 (AR)Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?
30 If I must boast, (AS)I will boast in the things which concern my [d]infirmity. 31 (AT)The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, (AU)who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. 32 (AV)In Damascus the governor, under Aretas the king, was guarding the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desiring to arrest me; 33 but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped from his hands.
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 11:3 NU adds and purity
- 2 Corinthians 11:6 NU omits been
- 2 Corinthians 11:7 putting myself down
- 2 Corinthians 11:30 weakness
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
