¹⁷ What I speak, ^(A)I speak not according to the Lord, but as it were, foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.

¹² But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her.

³ For we are ^(A)the circumcision, ^(B)who worship ^[a]God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, ⁴ though ^(C)I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I ^(D)more so: ⁵ circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, ^(E)of the tribe of Benjamin, ^(F)a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, ^(G)a Pharisee; ⁶ concerning zeal, ^(H)persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

⁴ lest if some Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we (not to mention you!) should be ashamed of this ^[a]confident boasting.

To the Unmarried and Widows

²⁵ Now concerning virgins: ^(A)I have no commandment from the Lord; yet I give judgment as one ^(B)whom the Lord in His mercy has made ^(C)trustworthy.

¹⁸ Seeing that many boast according to the flesh, I also will boast. ¹⁹ For you put up with fools gladly, ^(A)since you yourselves are wise! ²⁰ For you put up with it ^(B)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 ^(C)I say that we were too weak for that! But ^(D)in whatever anyone is bold—I speak foolishly—I am bold also.

Suffering for Christ

²² Are they ^(E)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: ^(F)in labors more abundant, ^(G)in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, ^(H)in deaths often. ²⁴ From the Jews five times I received ^(I)forty ^(J)stripes minus one. ²⁵ Three times I was ^(K)beaten with rods; ^(L)once I was stoned; three times I ^(M)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, ^(N)in perils of my own countrymen, ^(O)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, ^(P)in sleeplessness often, ^(Q)in hunger and thirst, in ^(R)fastings often, in cold and nakedness—

⁶ But I say this as a concession, ^(A)not as a commandment.