⁶ though if I should wish to boast, ^(A)I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me.

Paul's Sufferings as an Apostle

¹⁶ I repeat, ^(A)let no one think me foolish. But even if you do, accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little.

Concern for the Corinthian Church

^11 (A)I have been a fool! You forced me to it, for I ought to have been commended by you. For I was ^(B)not at all inferior to these super-apostles, ^(C)even though I am nothing.

⁷ So ^(A)to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations,^{[a] (B)}a thorn was given me in the flesh, ^(C)a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.

^31 (A)The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, ^(B)he who is blessed forever, ^(C)knows that I am not lying.

⁸ For even if I boast a little too much of ^(A)our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I will not be ashamed. ⁹ I do not want to appear to be frightening you with my letters. ¹⁰ For they say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but ^(B)his bodily presence is weak, and ^(C)his speech of no account.”

¹³ For if we ^(A)are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you.

¹⁸ As surely as ^(A)God is faithful, ^(B)our word to you has not been Yes and No.

⁹ For we are ^(A)God's fellow workers. You are God's field, ^(B)God's building.

^10 (C)According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled^[a] master builder I laid a ^(D)foundation, and ^(E)someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it.