²¹ To my shame, I must say, ^(A)we were too weak for that!

But whatever anyone else dares to boast of—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast of that.

¹⁰ For they say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but ^(A)his bodily presence is weak, and ^(B)his speech of no account.”

¹⁷ What I am saying ^(A)with this boastful confidence, ^(B)I say not as the Lord would^[a] but as a fool.

Paul Defends His Ministry

10 ^(A)I, Paul, myself entreat you, by the ^(B)meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold toward you when I am away!— ² I beg of you ^(C)that when I am present I may not have to show ^(D)boldness with such confidence as I count on showing against some who suspect us of walking according to the flesh.

³ For ^(A)we are the circumcision, ^(B)who worship ^(C)by the Spirit of God^[a] and ^(D)glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— ^4 (E)though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: ^5 (F)circumcised on the eighth day, ^(G)of the people of Israel, ^(H)of the tribe of Benjamin, ^(I)a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, ^(J)a Pharisee; ^6 (K)as to zeal, ^(L)a persecutor of the church; ^(M)as to righteousness under the law,^[b] blameless.

¹⁰ For this reason I write these things while I am away from you, that when I come ^(A)I may not have to be ^(B)severe in my use of ^(C)the authority that the Lord has given me for building up and not for tearing down.

²² Are they Hebrews? ^(A)So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I. ²³ Are they ^(B)servants of Christ? ^(C)I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, ^(D)far more imprisonments, ^(E)with countless beatings, and ^(F)often near death. ²⁴ Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the ^(G)forty lashes less one. ²⁵ Three times I was ^(H)beaten with rods. ^(I)Once I was stoned. Three times I ^(J)was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; ²⁶ on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, ^(K)danger from my own people, ^(L)danger from Gentiles, ^(M)danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; ^27 (N)in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, ^(O)in hunger and thirst, often without food,^[a] in cold and exposure.