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11 O that ophelon you would put up with anechōmai me egō in a tis little mikros foolishness aphrosynē! · kai Do put up with anechōmai me egō! For gar I am jealous zēloō for you hymeis with zēlos a jealousy zēlos God theos inspires, for gar I have promised harmozō you hymeis in marriage to a single heis husband anēr, to ho Christ Christos, that I might present paristēmi you to him as an undefiled hagnos virgin parthenos. But de I am afraid phobeomai, however mē pōs, that just as hōs the ho serpent ophis deceived exapataō Eve heua by en · ho his autos craftiness panourgia, so your hymeis minds noēma may be led astray phtheirō · ho from apo the ho simplicity haplotēs and kai · ho purity hagnotēs that ho is in eis · ho Christ Christos. For gar if ei one ho comes erchomai and proclaims kēryssō a different allos Jesus Iēsous whom hos we did not ou proclaim kēryssō, or ē if you welcome lambanō a different heteros spirit pneuma which hos you did not ou welcome lambanō, or ē a different heteros gospel euangelion which hos you did not ou welcome dechomai, you put up with anechōmai it easily kalōs. For gar I consider logizomai myself to be in no way mēdeis inferior hystereō to those ho super-apostles hyperlian apostolos.” But de even kai if ei I am an amateur idiōtēs in ho speaking logos, I am certainly not alla in ho knowledge gnōsis. Rather alla, in en every pas way we have made this plain phaneroō to eis you hymeis as to en all pas. Or ē did I commit poieō a sin hamartia in humbling tapeinoō myself emautou so that hina you hymeis could be exalted hypsoō, because hoti I proclaimed euangelizō the ho gospel euangelion of ho God theos to you hymeis without a charge dōrean? I robbed sylaō other allos churches ekklēsia, taking lambanō support opsōnion from them to carry out pros my ho service diakonia to you hymeis. And kai when I was present pareimi with pros you hymeis and kai in need hystereō, I did not ou burden katanarkaō anyone outheis, for gar when erchomai the ho brothers adelphos came erchomai from apo Macedonia Makedonia they supplied prosanaplēroō · ho my egō need hysterēma. · kai I kept tēreō myself emautou from tēreō being a burden abarēs to you hymeis in en any pas way , and kai will continue to do so tēreō. 10 As the truth alētheia of Christ Christos is eimi in en me egō, · ho this houtos boasting kauchēsis of eis mine egō will not ou be put to silence phrassō in en the ho districts klima of ho Achaia Achaia. 11 Why dia is that tis? Is it because hoti I do not ou love agapaō you hymeis? · ho God theos knows oida I do.

12 And de what hos I am doing poieō · kai I will continue to do poieō, so hina as to remove ekkoptō any ho opportunity aphormē from ho those desiring thelō an opportunity aphormē to hina be regarded heuriskō, in the things in en which hos they boast kauchaomai, to be just as kathōs · kai we hēmeis are. 13 · ho For gar such men toioutos are false apostles pseudapostolos, deceitful dolios workers ergatēs, disguising metaschēmatizō themselves as eis apostles apostolos of Christ Christos. 14 And kai no ou wonder thauma! For gar Satan Satanas himself autos · ho disguises metaschēmatizō himself as eis an angel angelos of light phōs. 15 So oun it is no ou great megas surprise if ei his autos servants diakonos, too kai, · ho disguise metaschēmatizō themselves as hōs servants diakonos of righteousness dikaiosynē. Their hos · ho end telos will be eimi according kata to · ho their autos works ergon.

16 Again palin I say legō, let dokeō no one tis think dokeō me egō foolish aphrōn. But de even ge if ei you do, then at least kan accept dechomai me egō as hōs a fool aphrōn, so that hina I too kagō may boast kauchaomai a tis little mikros. 17 What hos I am saying laleō, I am laleō not ou saying laleō according kata to the Lord kyrios, but alla as hōs in en foolishness aphrosynē, in en this houtos · ho confidence hypostasis of ho boasting kauchēsis. 18 Since epei there are many polys who are boasting kauchaomai according kata to the flesh sarx, I too kagō will boast kauchaomai. 19 For gar gladly hēdeōs you put up with anechōmai · ho fools aphrōn, since you are eimi so wise phronimos! 20 For gar you put up with anechōmai it if ei anyone tis enslaves katadouloō you hymeis, if ei anyone tis exploits katesthiō you, if ei anyone tis takes advantage lambanō of you, if ei anyone tis puts on airs epairō, if ei anyone tis strikes derō you hymeis in eis the face prosōpon. 21 I say legō this to kata my shame atimia, that hoti in this we hēmeis have been weak astheneō. But de as to en whatever hos anyone tis else dares tolmaō to boast about— I am talking legō like en a fool aphrosynē I also kagō dare tolmaō to boast . 22 Are they eimi Hebrews Hebraios? So am I kagō. Are they eimi Israelites Israēlitēs? So am I kagō. Are they eimi descendants sperma of Abraham Abraam? So am I kagō. 23 Are they eimi servants diakonos of Christ Christos?— I am talking laleō like a madman paraphroneō!— I egō am even more so hyper: in en far more perissoterōs labors kopos, in en prison phylakē more often perissoterōs, in en beatings plēgē more severe hyperballontōs, facing en death thanatos again and again pollakis. 24 Five times pentakis I received lambanō from hypo the Jews Ioudaios the forty tesserakonta lashes less para one heis. 25 Three tris times I was beaten with a rod rhabdizō. Once hapax I was stoned lithazō. Three tris times I was shipwrecked nauageō. I have been adrift poieō on en the ho open sea bythos for twenty-four nychthēmeron hours . 26 On my frequent pollakis journeys hodoiporia I have been exposed to dangers kindynos from rivers potamos, dangers kindynos from bandits lēstēs, dangers kindynos from ek my own people genos, dangers kindynos from ek Gentiles ethnos, dangers kindynos in en the city polis, dangers kindynos in en the countryside erēmia, dangers kindynos at en sea thalassa, dangers kindynos at en the hands of false pseudadelphos brothers ; 27 in toil kopos and kai hard work mochthos, often pollakis in en need agrypnia of sleep , in en hunger limos and kai thirst dipsos, many times pollakis without food en, in en cold psychos and kai nakedness gymnotēs. 28 Apart chōris from · ho other things parektos, there is the ho daily kata pressure epistasis on me egō · ho of my ho anxious merimna concern for all pas the ho churches ekklēsia. 29 Who tis is weak astheneō, and kai I am not ou weak astheneō? Who tis is made to stumble skandalizō, and kai I egō do not ou burn pyroō with indignation?

30 If ei there must dei be boasting kauchaomai, I will boast of kauchaomai the ho things that ho display my egō weakness astheneia. 31 The ho God theos and kai Father patēr of ho our Lord kyrios Jesus Iēsous, he ho who is eimi blessed eulogētos for eis all ho time aiōn, knows oida that hoti I am not ou lying pseudomai. 32 At en Damascus Damaskos the ho ethnarch ethnarchēs under ho king basileus Aretas Haretas was guarding phroureō the ho city polis of Damascus Damaskēnos in order to arrest piazō me egō, 33 but kai I was lowered chalaō in en a basket sarganē through dia an opening thuris in dia the ho wall teichos and kai escaped ekpheugō · ho his autos hands cheir.

Paul Defends His Apostleship

11 I wish you would bear with me [while I indulge] in a little foolishness; but indeed you are bearing with me [as you read this]. I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy because I have promised you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.(A) But I am afraid that, even as the serpent beguiled Eve by his cunning, your minds may be corrupted and led away from the simplicity of [your sincere and] pure devotion to Christ.(B) For [you seem willing to allow it] if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted. You tolerate all this beautifully [welcoming the deception]. Yet I consider myself in no way inferior to the [so-called] [a]super-apostles. But even if I am unskilled in speaking, yet I am not [untrained] in [b]knowledge [I know what I am talking about]; but we have made this evident to you in every way, in all things.

Or did I [perhaps] sin by humbling myself so that you might be exalted and honored, because I preached God’s gospel to you [c]free of charge? I robbed other churches by accepting [more than their share of] financial support for my ministry to you. And when I was with you and ran short [financially], I did not burden any of you; for what I needed was fully supplied by the brothers (Silas and Timothy) who came from Macedonia (the church at Philippi). So I kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so.(C) 10 As the truth of Christ is in me, my boast [of independence] will not be silenced in the regions of Achaia (southern Greece). 11 Why? Because I do not love you [or wish you well, or have regard for your welfare]? God knows [that I do]!

12 But what I am doing I will keep doing, [for I am determined to keep this independence] in order to cut off the claim of those who want an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things they brag about. 13 For such men are counterfeit apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, since Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15 So it is no great surprise if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness, but their end will correspond with their deeds.

16 I repeat then, let no one think that I am foolish; but even if you do, at least accept me as foolish, so that I too may boast a little. 17 What I say in this confident boasting, I say not as the Lord would [with His authority], but foolishly. 18 Since many boast [of worldly things and brag] about human accomplishments, I will boast too. 19 [d]For you, being so wise, gladly tolerate and accept the foolish [like me]! 20 For you tolerate it if anyone makes you his slave; or devours you and your possessions; or takes advantage of you; or acts presumptuously; or hits you in the face. 21 To my shame, I must say, we have been too weak [in comparison to those pseudo-apostles who take advantage of you].

But in whatever anyone else dares to boast—I am speaking foolishly—I also dare to boast. 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they [self-proclaimed] servants of Christ?—I am speaking as if I were out of my mind—I am more so [for I exceed them]; with far more labors, with far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, and often in danger of death. 24 Five times I received from the Jews [e]thirty-nine lashes.(D) 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent adrift on the sea; 26 many times on journeys, [exposed to] danger from rivers, danger from bandits, danger from my own countrymen, danger from the Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger on the sea, danger among those posing as believers; 27 in labor and hardship, often unable to sleep, in hunger and thirst, often [driven to] fasting [for lack of food], in cold and exposure [without adequate clothing]. 28 Besides those external things, there is the daily [inescapable] pressure of my concern for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I do not feel [his] weakness? Who is made to sin, and I am not on fire [with sorrow and concern]?

30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that reveal my weakness [the things by which I am made weak in the eyes of my opponents]. 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, He who is blessed and to be praised forevermore, knows that I am not lying. 32 In Damascus the [f]governor (ethnarch) under [g]King Aretas guarded the city of Damascus in order to arrest me, 33 and I was [actually] let down in a basket through a [h]window in the wall, and slipped through his fingers.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 11:5 This may be a sarcastic reference to the teachers of false doctrine (pseudo-apostles) who opposed Paul and tried to claim they had an association with the original twelve disciples.
  2. 2 Corinthians 11:6 Like the original Twelve, Paul received his knowledge of the gospel from the Lord.
  3. 2 Corinthians 11:7 Traveling philosophers and religious teachers (including the false apostles) customarily charged for their lectures. Paul’s reason for refusing support from this church is unclear.
  4. 2 Corinthians 11:19 The sarcastic tone of vv 19-21 reflects Paul’s extreme frustration with the Corinthian church.
  5. 2 Corinthians 11:24 OT law limited judicial scourging (whipping) to forty lashes. The Jews established a tradition of thirty-nine lashes to minimize the risk of making a mistake in the count and giving the guilty party more than forty.
  6. 2 Corinthians 11:32 Perhaps also leader of the Jewish community.
  7. 2 Corinthians 11:32 King of the Nabatean Arabs from 9 b.c. to a.d. 40.
  8. 2 Corinthians 11:33 I.e. small door.