¹⁴ And no wonder, for Satan^(A) 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.^(B)

Paul Boasts About His Sufferings

¹⁶ I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool.^(C) 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,^(D) but as a fool.^{(E) 18} Since many are boasting in the way the world does,^(F) I too will boast.^{(G) 19} You gladly put up with^(H) fools since you are so wise!^{(I) 20} In fact, you even put up with^(J) anyone who enslaves you^(K) 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^(L) for that!

Whatever anyone else dares to boast about—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast about.^{(M) 22} Are they Hebrews? So am I.^(N) Are they Israelites? So am I.^(O) Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I.^{(P) 23} Are they servants of Christ?^(Q) (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder,^(R) been in prison more frequently,^(S) been flogged more severely,^(T) and been exposed to death again and again.^{(U) 24} Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes^(V) minus one. ²⁵ Three times I was beaten with rods,^(W) once I was pelted with stones,^(X) three times I was shipwrecked,^(Y) 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,^(Z) in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city,^(AA) in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers.^{(AB) 27} I have labored and toiled^(AC) and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food;^(AD) I have been cold and naked. ²⁸ Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.^{(AE) 29} Who is weak, and I do not feel weak?^(AF) Who is led into sin,^(AG) and I do not inwardly burn?

³⁰ If I must boast, I will boast^(AH) of the things that show my weakness.^{(AI) 31} The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever,^(AJ) knows^(AK) 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.^{(AL) 33} But I was lowered in a basket from a window in the wall and slipped through his hands.^(AM)

Paul’s Vision and His Thorn

12 I must go on boasting.^(AN) Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations^(AO) from the Lord. ² I know a man in Christ^(AP) who fourteen years ago was caught up^(AQ) to the third heaven.^(AR) Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows.^{(AS) 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^(AT) to paradise^(AU) 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.^{(AV) 6} Even if I should choose to boast,^(AW) I would not be a fool,^(AX) 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.^(AY) Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh,^(AZ) a messenger of Satan,^(BA) to torment me. ⁸ Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.^{(BB) 9} But he said to me, “My grace^(BC) is sufficient for you, for my power^(BD) is made perfect in weakness.^(BE)”^(BF) 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^(BG) in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships,^(BH) in persecutions,^(BI) in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.^(BJ)

Paul’s Concern for the Corinthians

¹¹ I have made a fool of myself,^(BK) 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,”^[a](BL) even though I am nothing.^{(BM) 12} I persevered in demonstrating among you the marks of a true apostle, including signs, wonders and miracles.^{(BN) 13} How were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was never a burden to you?^(BO) Forgive me this wrong!^(BP)

¹⁴ Now I am ready to visit you for the third time,^(BQ) 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,^(BR) but parents for their children.^{(BS) 15} So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well.^(BT) If I love you more,^(BU) will you love me less? ¹⁶ Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you.^(BV) 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^(BW) Titus^(BX) to go to you and I sent our brother^(BY) 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^(BZ) as those in Christ; and everything we do, dear friends,^(CA) is for your strengthening.^{(CB) 20} For I am afraid that when I come^(CC) I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be.^(CD) I fear that there may be discord,^(CE) jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition,^(CF) slander,^(CG) gossip,^(CH) arrogance^(CI) and disorder.^{(CJ) 21} I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved^(CK) over many who have sinned earlier^(CL) and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery^(CM) in which they have indulged.

Final Warnings

13 This will be my third visit to you.^(CN) “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.”^{[b](CO) 2} I already gave you a warning when I was with you the second time. I now repeat it while absent:^(CP) On my return I will not spare^(CQ) those who sinned earlier^(CR) or any of the others, ³ since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me.^(CS) He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you. ⁴ For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness,^(CT) yet he lives by God’s power.^(CU) Likewise, we are weak^(CV) in him, yet by God’s power we will live with him^(CW) in our dealing with you.

⁵ Examine yourselves^(CX) to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.^(CY) Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you^(CZ)—unless, of course, you fail the test?