Paul’s Defense of His Ministry

10 By the humility and gentleness^(A) of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul,^(B) who am “timid” when face to face with you, but “bold” toward you when away! ² I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold^(C) as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world.^{(D) 3} For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.^{(E) 4} The weapons we fight with^(F) are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power^(G) to demolish strongholds.^{(H) 5} We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God,^(I) and we take captive every thought to make it obedient^(J) to Christ. ⁶ And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.^(K)

⁷ You are judging by appearances.^[a](L) If anyone is confident that they belong to Christ,^(M) they should consider again that we belong to Christ just as much as they do.^{(N) 8} So even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us^(O) for building you up rather than tearing you down,^(P) I will not be ashamed of it. ⁹ I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you with my letters. ¹⁰ For some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive^(Q) and his speaking amounts to nothing.”^{(R) 11} Such people should realize that what we are in our letters when we are absent, we will be in our actions when we are present.

¹² We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves.^(S) When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise. ¹³ We, however, will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the sphere of service God himself has assigned to us,^(T) a sphere that also includes you. ¹⁴ We are not going too far in our boasting, as would be the case if we had not come to you, for we did get as far as you^(U) with the gospel of Christ.^{(V) 15} Neither do we go beyond our limits^(W) by boasting of work done by others.^(X) Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow,^(Y) our sphere of activity among you will greatly expand, ¹⁶ so that we can preach the gospel^(Z) in the regions beyond you.^(AA) For we do not want to boast about work already done in someone else’s territory. ¹⁷ But, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”^{[b](AB) 18} For it is not the one who commends himself^(AC) who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.^(AD)

Paul and the False Apostles

11 I hope you will put up with^(AE) me in a little foolishness.^(AF) Yes, please put up with me! ² I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband,^(AG) to Christ, so that I might present you^(AH) as a pure virgin to him. ³ But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning,^(AI) your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. ⁴ For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached,^(AJ) or if you receive a different spirit^(AK) from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel^(AL) from the one you accepted, you put up with it^(AM) easily enough.

⁵ I do not think I am in the least inferior to those “super-apostles.”^{[c](AN) 6} I may indeed be untrained as a speaker,^(AO) but I do have knowledge.^(AP) We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way. ⁷ Was it a sin^(AQ) for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God^(AR) to you free of charge?^{(AS) 8} I robbed other churches by receiving support from them^(AT) so as to serve you. ⁹ And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed.^(AU) I have kept myself from being a burden to you^(AV) in any way, and will continue to do so. ¹⁰ As surely as the truth of Christ is in me,^(AW) nobody in the regions of Achaia^(AX) will stop this boasting^(AY) of mine. ¹¹ Why? Because I do not love you? God knows^(AZ) I do!^(BA)

¹² And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. ¹³ For such people are false apostles,^(BB) deceitful^(BC) workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.^{(BD) 14} And no wonder, for Satan^(BE) himself masquerades as an angel of light. ¹⁵ It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.^(BF)

Paul Boasts About His Sufferings

¹⁶ I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool.^(BG) But if you do, then tolerate me just as you would a fool, so that I may do a little boasting. ¹⁷ In this self-confident boasting I am not talking as the Lord would,^(BH) but as a fool.^{(BI) 18} Since many are boasting in the way the world does,^(BJ) I too will boast.^{(BK) 19} You gladly put up with^(BL) fools since you are so wise!^{(BM) 20} In fact, you even put up with^(BN) anyone who enslaves you^(BO) or exploits you or takes advantage of you or puts on airs or slaps you in the face. ²¹ To my shame I admit that we were too weak^(BP) for that!

Whatever anyone else dares to boast about—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast about.^{(BQ) 22} Are they Hebrews? So am I.^(BR) Are they Israelites? So am I.^(BS) Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I.^{(BT) 23} Are they servants of Christ?^(BU) (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder,^(BV) been in prison more frequently,^(BW) been flogged more severely,^(BX) and been exposed to death again and again.^{(BY) 24} Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes^(BZ) minus one. ²⁵ Three times I was beaten with rods,^(CA) once I was pelted with stones,^(CB) three times I was shipwrecked,^(CC) I spent a night and a day in the open sea, ²⁶ I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews,^(CD) in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city,^(CE) in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers.^{(CF) 27} I have labored and toiled^(CG) and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food;^(CH) I have been cold and naked. ²⁸ Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.^{(CI) 29} Who is weak, and I do not feel weak?^(CJ) Who is led into sin,^(CK) and I do not inwardly burn?

³⁰ If I must boast, I will boast^(CL) of the things that show my weakness.^{(CM) 31} The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever,^(CN) knows^(CO) that I am not lying. ³² In Damascus the governor under King Aretas had the city of the Damascenes guarded in order to arrest me.^{(CP) 33} But I was lowered in a basket from a window in the wall and slipped through his hands.^(CQ)

Paul’s Vision and His Thorn

12 I must go on boasting.^(CR) Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations^(CS) from the Lord. ² I know a man in Christ^(CT) who fourteen years ago was caught up^(CU) to the third heaven.^(CV) Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows.^{(CW) 3} And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— ⁴ was caught up^(CX) to paradise^(CY) and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell. ⁵ I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses.^{(CZ) 6} Even if I should choose to boast,^(DA) I would not be a fool,^(DB) because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, ⁷ or because of these surpassingly great revelations.^(DC) Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh,^(DD) a messenger of Satan,^(DE) to torment me. ⁸ Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.^{(DF) 9} But he said to me, “My grace^(DG) is sufficient for you, for my power^(DH) is made perfect in weakness.^(DI)”^(DJ) Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ¹⁰ That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight^(DK) in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships,^(DL) in persecutions,^(DM) in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.^(DN)

Paul’s Concern for the Corinthians

¹¹ I have made a fool of myself,^(DO) but you drove me to it. I ought to have been commended by you, for I am not in the least inferior to the “super-apostles,”^[d](DP) even though I am nothing.^{(DQ) 12} I persevered in demonstrating among you the marks of a true apostle, including signs, wonders and miracles.^{(DR) 13} How were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was never a burden to you?^(DS) Forgive me this wrong!^(DT)

¹⁴ Now I am ready to visit you for the third time,^(DU) and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not your possessions but you. After all, children should not have to save up for their parents,^(DV) but parents for their children.^{(DW) 15} So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well.^(DX) If I love you more,^(DY) will you love me less? ¹⁶ Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you.^(DZ) Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery! ¹⁷ Did I exploit you through any of the men I sent to you? ¹⁸ I urged^(EA) Titus^(EB) to go to you and I sent our brother^(EC) with him. Titus did not exploit you, did he? Did we not walk in the same footsteps by the same Spirit?

¹⁹ Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? We have been speaking in the sight of God^(ED) as those in Christ; and everything we do, dear friends,^(EE) is for your strengthening.^{(EF) 20} For I am afraid that when I come^(EG) I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be.^(EH) I fear that there may be discord,^(EI) jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition,^(EJ) slander,^(EK) gossip,^(EL) arrogance^(EM) and disorder.^{(EN) 21} I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved^(EO) over many who have sinned earlier^(EP) and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery^(EQ) in which they have indulged.