2 Corinthians 11:16-33

English Standard Version

Paul's Sufferings as an Apostle

¹⁶I 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. ¹⁷What I am saying ^(B)with this boastful confidence, ^(C)I say not as the Lord would^[a] but as a fool. ¹⁸Since ^(D)many boast according to the flesh, I too will boast. ¹⁹For you gladly bear with fools, ^(E)being wise yourselves! ²⁰For you bear it if someone ^(F)makes slaves of you, or ^(G)devours you, or takes advantage of you, or puts on airs, or ^(H)strikes you in the face. ²¹To my shame, I must say, ^(I)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. ²²Are they Hebrews? ^(J)So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I. ²³Are they ^(K)servants of Christ? ^(L)I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, ^(M)far more imprisonments, ^(N)with countless beatings, and ^(O)often near death. ²⁴Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the ^(P)forty lashes less one. ²⁵Three times I was ^(Q)beaten with rods. ^(R)Once I was stoned. Three times I ^(S)was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; ²⁶on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, ^(T)danger from my own people, ^(U)danger from Gentiles, ^(V)danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; ²⁷^(W)in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, ^(X)in hunger and thirst, often without food,^[b] in cold and exposure. ²⁸And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for ^(Y)all the churches. ²⁹^(Z)Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant?

³⁰^(AA)If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. ³¹^(AB)The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, ^(AC)he who is blessed forever, ^(AD)knows that I am not lying. ³²At Damascus, the governor under King Aretas ^(AE)was guarding the city of Damascus in order to seize me, ³³^(AF)but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his hands.