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2 Corinthians 11
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
2 Corinthians 11
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
11 Would to God you could bear with some little of my folly: but do bear with me.
2 For I am jealous of you with the jealousy of God. For I have espoused you to one husband that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
3 But I fear lest, as the serpent seduced Eve by his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted, and fall from the simplicity that is in Christ.
4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Christ, whom we have not preached; or if you receive another Spirit, whom you have not received; or another gospel which you have not received; you might well bear with him.
5 For I suppose that I have done nothing less than the great apostles.
6 For although I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but in all things we have been made manifest to you.
7 Or did I commit a fault, humbling myself, that you might be exalted? Because I preached unto you the gospel of God freely?
8 I have taken from other churches, receiving wages of them for your ministry.
9 And, when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was wanting to me, the brethren supplied who came from Macedonia; and in all things I have kept myself from being burthensome to you, and so I will keep myself.
10 The truth of Christ is in me, that this glorying shall not be broken off in me in the regions of Achaia.
11 Wherefore? Because I love you not? God knoweth it.
12 But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off the occasion from them that desire occasion, that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.
13 For such false apostles are deceitful workmen, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
14 And no wonder: for Satan himself transformeth himself into an angel of light.
15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers be transformed as the ministers of justice, whose end shall be according to their works.
16 I say again, (let no man think me to be foolish, otherwise take me as one foolish, that I also may glory a little.)
17 That which I speak, I speak not according to God, but as it were in foolishness, in this matter of glorying.
18 Seeing that many glory according to the flesh, I will glory also.
19 For you gladly suffer the foolish; whereas yourselves are wise.
20 For you suffer if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take from you, if a man be lifted up, if a man strike you on the face.
21 I speak according to dishonour, as if we had been weak in this part. Wherein if any man dare (I speak foolishly), I dare also.
22 They are Hebrews: so am I. They are Israelites: so am I. They are the seed of Abraham: so am I.
23 They are the ministers of Christ (I speak as one less wise): I am more; in many more labours, in prisons more frequently, in stripes above measure, in deaths often.
24 Of the Jews five times did I receive forty stripes, save one.
25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once I was stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I was in the depth of the sea.
26 In journeying often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils from my own nation, in perils from the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils from false brethren.
27 In labour and painfulness, in much watchings, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
28 Besides those things which are without: my daily instance, the solicitude for all the churches.
29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is scandalized, and I am not on fire?
30 If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things that concern my infirmity.
31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed for ever, knoweth that I lie not.
32 At Damascus, the governor of the nation under Aretas the king, guarded the city of the Damascenes, to apprehend me.
33 And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and so escaped his hands.
2 Corinthians 11
Holman Christian Standard Bible
2 Corinthians 11
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Paul and the False Apostles
11 I wish you would put up with a little foolishness(A) from me. Yes, do put up with me.[a] 2 For I am jealous(B) over you with a godly jealousy,(C) because I have promised you in marriage to one husband—to present a pure(D) virgin to Christ. 3 But I fear that, as the serpent(E) deceived(F) Eve(G) by his cunning, your minds may be seduced from a complete and pure[b] devotion to Christ.(H) 4 For if a person comes and preaches another Jesus,(I) whom we did not preach, or you receive a different spirit,(J) which you had not received, or a different gospel,(K) which you had not accepted, you put up with it splendidly!
5 Now I consider myself in no way inferior to the “super-apostles.”(L) 6 Though untrained in public speaking,(M) I am certainly not untrained in knowledge.(N) Indeed, we have always made that clear to you in everything. 7 Or did I commit a sin by humbling(O) myself so that you might be exalted,(P) because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge?(Q) 8 I robbed other churches by taking pay from them to minister to you. 9 When I was present with you and in need, I did not burden anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia(R) supplied my needs.(S) I have kept myself, and will keep myself, from burdening you in any way. 10 As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be stopped[c] in the regions of Achaia.(T) 11 Why? Because I don’t love you? God knows I do!
12 But I will continue to do what I am doing, in order to deny[d] the opportunity of those who want an opportunity to be regarded just as our equals in what they boast about. 13 For such people are false apostles,(U) deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder! For Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 So it is no great thing if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their destiny[e] will be according to their works.(V)
Paul’s Sufferings for Christ
16 I repeat: No one should consider me a fool. But if you do, at least accept me as a fool, so I too may boast a little. 17 What I say in this matter[f] of boasting, I don’t speak as the Lord would, but foolishly. 18 Since many boast in an unspiritual way,[g] I will also boast. 19 For you, being so wise, gladly put up with fools!(W) 20 In fact, you put up with it if someone enslaves you, if someone devours(X) you, if someone captures you, if someone dominates you, or if someone hits(Y) you in the face. 21 I say this to our shame: We have been weak.
But in whatever anyone dares to boast—I am talking foolishly—I also dare:
22 Are they Hebrews?(Z) So am I.
Are they Israelites? So am I.
Are they the seed of Abraham?(AA) So am I.
23 Are they servants of Christ?
I’m talking like a madman—I’m a better one:
with far more labors,
many more imprisonments,
far worse beatings, near death[h] many times.
24 Five times I received 39 lashes from Jews.(AB)
25 Three times I was beaten with rods by the Romans.(AC)
Once I was stoned by my enemies.[i](AD)
Three times I was shipwrecked.(AE)
I have spent a night and a day
in the open sea.
26 On frequent journeys, I faced
dangers from rivers,
dangers from robbers,(AF)
dangers from my own people,(AG)
dangers from the Gentiles,
dangers in the city,
dangers in the open country,
dangers on the sea,
and dangers among false brothers;
27 labor and hardship,
many sleepless nights, hunger and thirst,
often without food, cold, and lacking clothing.(AH)
28 Not to mention[j] other things, there is the daily pressure on me: my care for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble,(AI) and I do not burn with indignation? 30 If boasting is necessary, I will boast about my weaknesses. 31 The God and Father(AJ) of the Lord Jesus, who is praised forever, knows I am not lying. 32 In Damascus,(AK) the governor under King Aretas[k] guarded the city of the Damascenes in order to arrest me, 33 so I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his hands.(AL)
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 11:1 Or Yes, you are putting up with me
- 2 Corinthians 11:3 Other mss omit and pure
- 2 Corinthians 11:10 Or silenced
- 2 Corinthians 11:12 Lit cut off
- 2 Corinthians 11:15 Lit end
- 2 Corinthians 11:17 Or business, or confidence
- 2 Corinthians 11:18 Lit boast according to the flesh
- 2 Corinthians 11:23 Lit and in deaths
- 2 Corinthians 11:25 A common Jewish method of capital punishment; Ac 14:5
- 2 Corinthians 11:28 Lit Apart from
- 2 Corinthians 11:32 Aretus IV (9 b.c.–a.d. 40), a Nabatean Arab king
2 Corinthians 11
New International Version
2 Corinthians 11
New International Version
Paul and the False Apostles
11 I hope you will put up with(A) me in a little foolishness.(B) Yes, please put up with me! 2 I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband,(C) to Christ, so that I might present you(D) as a pure virgin to him. 3 But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning,(E) your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached,(F) or if you receive a different spirit(G) from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel(H) from the one you accepted, you put up with it(I) easily enough.
5 I do not think I am in the least inferior to those “super-apostles.”[a](J) 6 I may indeed be untrained as a speaker,(K) but I do have knowledge.(L) We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way. 7 Was it a sin(M) for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God(N) to you free of charge?(O) 8 I robbed other churches by receiving support from them(P) so as to serve you. 9 And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed.(Q) I have kept myself from being a burden to you(R) in any way, and will continue to do so. 10 As surely as the truth of Christ is in me,(S) nobody in the regions of Achaia(T) will stop this boasting(U) of mine. 11 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows(V) I do!(W)
12 And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. 13 For such people are false apostles,(X) deceitful(Y) workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.(Z) 14 And no wonder, for Satan(AA) himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.(AB)
Paul Boasts About His Sufferings
16 I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool.(AC) But if you do, then tolerate me just as you would a fool, so that I may do a little boasting. 17 In this self-confident boasting I am not talking as the Lord would,(AD) but as a fool.(AE) 18 Since many are boasting in the way the world does,(AF) I too will boast.(AG) 19 You gladly put up with(AH) fools since you are so wise!(AI) 20 In fact, you even put up with(AJ) anyone who enslaves you(AK) or exploits you or takes advantage of you or puts on airs or slaps you in the face. 21 To my shame I admit that we were too weak(AL) for that!
Whatever anyone else dares to boast about—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast about.(AM) 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I.(AN) Are they Israelites? So am I.(AO) Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I.(AP) 23 Are they servants of Christ?(AQ) (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder,(AR) been in prison more frequently,(AS) been flogged more severely,(AT) and been exposed to death again and again.(AU) 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes(AV) minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods,(AW) once I was pelted with stones,(AX) three times I was shipwrecked,(AY) I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews,(AZ) in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city,(BA) in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers.(BB) 27 I have labored and toiled(BC) and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food;(BD) I have been cold and naked. 28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.(BE) 29 Who is weak, and I do not feel weak?(BF) Who is led into sin,(BG) and I do not inwardly burn?
30 If I must boast, I will boast(BH) of the things that show my weakness.(BI) 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever,(BJ) knows(BK) that I am not lying. 32 In Damascus the governor under King Aretas had the city of the Damascenes guarded in order to arrest me.(BL) 33 But I was lowered in a basket from a window in the wall and slipped through his hands.(BM)
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 11:5 Or to the most eminent apostles
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)
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Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.