2 Corinthians 11 - Galatians 2

New King James Version

Concern for Their Faithfulness

11 Oh, that you would bear with me in a little ^(A)folly—and indeed you do bear with me. ²For I am ^(B)jealous for you with godly jealousy. For ^(C)I have betrothed you to one husband, ^(D)that I may present you ^(E)as a chaste virgin to Christ. ³But I fear, lest somehow, as ^(F)the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds ^(G)may be corrupted from the ^[a]simplicity that is in Christ. ⁴For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a ^(H)different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!

Paul and False Apostles

⁵For I consider that ^(I)I am not at all inferior to the most eminent apostles. ⁶Even though ^(J)I am untrained in speech, yet I am not ^(K)in knowledge. But ^(L)we have ^[b]been thoroughly manifested among you in all things.

⁷Did I commit sin in ^[c]humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you ^(M)free of charge? ⁸I robbed other churches, taking wages from them to minister to you. ⁹And when I was present with you, and in need, ^(N)I was a burden to no one, for what I lacked ^(O)the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied. And in everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so I will keep myself. ¹⁰^(P)As the truth of Christ is in me, ^(Q)no one shall stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia. ¹¹Why? ^(R)Because I do not love you? God knows!

¹²But what I do, I will also continue to do, ^(S)that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast. ¹³For such ^(T)are false apostles, ^(U)deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. ¹⁴And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into ^(V)an angel of light. ¹⁵Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, ^(W)whose end will be according to their works.

Reluctant Boasting

¹⁶I say again, let no one think me a fool. If otherwise, at least receive me as a fool, that I also may boast a little. ¹⁷What I speak, ^(X)I speak not according to the Lord, but as it were, foolishly, in this confidence of boasting. ¹⁸Seeing that many boast according to the flesh, I also will boast. ¹⁹For you put up with fools gladly, ^(Y)since you yourselves are wise! ²⁰For you put up with it ^(Z)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. ²¹To our shame ^(AA)I say that we were too weak for that! But ^(AB)in whatever anyone is bold—I speak foolishly—I am bold also.

Suffering for Christ

²²Are they ^(AC)Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. ²³Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: ^(AD)in labors more abundant, ^(AE)in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, ^(AF)in deaths often. ²⁴From the Jews five times I received ^(AG)forty ^(AH)stripes minus one. ²⁵Three times I was ^(AI)beaten with rods; ^(AJ)once I was stoned; three times I ^(AK)was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; ²⁶in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, ^(AL)in perils of my own countrymen, ^(AM)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; ²⁷in weariness and toil, ^(AN)in sleeplessness often, ^(AO)in hunger and thirst, in ^(AP)fastings often, in cold and nakedness— ²⁸besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: ^(AQ)my deep concern for all the churches. ²⁹^(AR)Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?

³⁰If I must boast, ^(AS)I will boast in the things which concern my ^[d]infirmity. ³¹^(AT)The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, ^(AU)who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. ³²^(AV)In Damascus the governor, under Aretas the king, was guarding the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desiring to arrest me; ³³but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped from his hands.

The Vision of Paradise

12 It is ^[e]doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to ^(AW)visions and ^(AX)revelations of the Lord: ²I know a man ^(AY)in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one ^(AZ)was caught up to the third heaven. ³And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— ⁴how he was caught up into ^(BA)Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. ⁵Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not ^(BB)boast, except in my infirmities. ⁶For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me.

The Thorn in the Flesh

⁷And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a ^(BC)thorn in the flesh was given to me, ^(BD)a messenger of Satan to ^[f]buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. ⁸^(BE)Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. ⁹And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly ^(BF)I will rather boast in my infirmities, ^(BG)that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ¹⁰Therefore ^(BH)I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. ^(BI)For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Signs of an Apostle

¹¹I have become ^(BJ)a fool ^[g]in boasting; you have compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you; for ^(BK)in nothing was I behind the most eminent apostles, though ^(BL)I am nothing. ¹²^(BM)Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and ^(BN)wonders and mighty ^(BO)deeds. ¹³For what is it in which you were inferior to other churches, except that I myself was not burdensome to you? Forgive me this wrong!

Love for the Church

¹⁴^(BP)Now for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be burdensome to you; for ^(BQ)I do not seek yours, but you. ^(BR)For the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. ¹⁵And I will very gladly spend and be spent ^(BS)for your souls; though ^(BT)the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.

¹⁶But be that as it may, ^(BU)I did not burden you. Nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you by cunning! ¹⁷Did I take advantage of you by any of those whom I sent to you? ¹⁸I urged Titus, and sent our ^(BV)brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same steps?

¹⁹^(BW)Again, ^[h]do you think that we excuse ourselves to you? ^(BX)We speak before God in Christ. ^(BY)But we do all things, beloved, for your edification. ²⁰For I fear lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish, and that ^(BZ)I shall be found by you such as you do not wish; lest there be contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, backbitings, whisperings, conceits, tumults; ²¹lest, when I come again, my God ^(CA)will humble me among you, and I shall mourn for many ^(CB)who have sinned before and have not repented of the uncleanness, ^(CC)fornication, and lewdness which they have practiced.

Coming with Authority

13 This will be ^(CD)the third time I am coming to you. ^(CE)“By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.” ²^(CF)I have told you before, and foretell as if I were present the second time, and now being absent ^[i]I write to those ^(CG)who have sinned before, and to all the rest, that if I come again ^(CH)I will not spare— ³since you seek a proof of Christ ^(CI)speaking in me, who is not weak toward you, but mighty ^(CJ)in you. ⁴^(CK)For though He was crucified in weakness, yet ^(CL)He lives by the power of God. For ^(CM)we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you.

⁵Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, ^(CN)that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you ^[j]are ^(CO)disqualified. ⁶But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified.

Paul Prefers Gentleness

⁷Now ^[k]I pray to God that you do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that you should do what is honorable, though ^(CP)we may seem disqualified. ⁸For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. ⁹For we are glad ^(CQ)when we are weak and you are strong. And this also we pray, ^(CR)that you may be made complete. ¹⁰^(CS)Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the ^(CT)authority which the Lord has given me for edification and not for destruction.

Greetings and Benediction

¹¹Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. ^(CU)Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love ^(CV)and peace will be with you.

¹²^(CW)Greet one another with a holy kiss.

¹³All the saints greet you.

¹⁴^(CX)The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and ^(CY)the ^[l]communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.

Greeting

1 Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but ^(CZ)through Jesus Christ and God the Father ^(DA)who raised Him from the dead), ²and all the brethren who are with me,

To the churches of Galatia:

³Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, ⁴^(DB)who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us ^(DC)from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, ⁵to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Only One Gospel

⁶I marvel that you are turning away so soon ^(DD)from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, ⁷^(DE)which is not another; but there are some ^(DF)who trouble you and want to ^(DG)pervert^[m] the gospel of Christ. ⁸But even if ^(DH)we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be ^[n]accursed. ⁹As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you ^(DI)than what you have received, let him be accursed.

¹⁰For ^(DJ)do I now ^(DK)persuade men, or God? Or ^(DL)do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.

Call to Apostleship^(DM)

¹¹^(DN)But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. ¹²For ^(DO)I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came ^(DP)through the revelation of Jesus Christ.

¹³For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how ^(DQ)I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and ^(DR)tried to destroy it. ¹⁴And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, ^(DS)being more exceedingly zealous ^(DT)for the traditions of my fathers.

¹⁵But when it pleased God, ^(DU)who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, ¹⁶^(DV)to reveal His Son in me, that ^(DW)I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with ^(DX)flesh and blood, ¹⁷nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.

Contacts at Jerusalem^(DY)

¹⁸Then after three years ^(DZ)I went up to Jerusalem to see ^[o]Peter, and remained with him fifteen days. ¹⁹But ^(EA)I saw none of the other apostles except ^(EB)James, the Lord’s brother. ²⁰(Now concerning the things which I write to you, indeed, before God, I do not lie.)

²¹^(EC)Afterward I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. ²²And I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea which ^(ED)were in Christ. ²³But they were ^(EE)hearing only, “He who formerly ^(EF)persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy.” ²⁴And they ^(EG)glorified God in me.

Defending the Gospel^(EH)

2 Then after fourteen years ^(EI)I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and also took Titus with me. ²And I went up ^[p]by revelation, and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but ^(EJ)privately to those who were of reputation, lest by any means ^(EK)I might run, or had run, in vain. ³Yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. ⁴And this occurred because of ^(EL)false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our ^(EM)liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, ^(EN)that they might bring us into bondage), ⁵to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that ^(EO)the truth of the gospel might continue with you.

⁶But from those ^(EP)who seemed to be something—whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; ^(EQ)God ^[q]shows personal favoritism to no man—for those who seemed to be something ^(ER)added nothing to me. ⁷But on the contrary, ^(ES)when they saw that the gospel for the uncircumcised ^(ET)had been committed to me, as the gospel for the circumcised was to Peter ⁸(for He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the ^(EU)circumcised ^(EV)also ^(EW)worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles), ⁹and when James, ^[r]Cephas, and John, who seemed to be ^(EX)pillars, perceived ^(EY)the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, ^(EZ)that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. ¹⁰They desired only that we should remember the poor, ^(FA)the very thing which I also was eager to do.

No Return to the Law

¹¹^(FB)Now when ^[s]Peter had come to Antioch, I ^[t]withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; ¹²for before certain men came from James, ^(FC)he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing ^[u]those who were of the circumcision. ¹³And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.

¹⁴But when I saw that they were not straightforward about ^(FD)the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter ^(FE)before them all, ^(FF)“If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, ^[v]why do you compel Gentiles to live as ^[w]Jews? ¹⁵^(FG)We who are Jews by nature, and not ^(FH)sinners of the Gentiles, ¹⁶^(FI)knowing that a man is not ^[x]justified by the works of the law but ^(FJ)by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not ^(FK)by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.

¹⁷“But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found ^(FL)sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not! ¹⁸For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. ¹⁹For I ^(FM)through the law ^(FN)died to the law that I might ^(FO)live to God. ²⁰I have been ^(FP)crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh ^(FQ)I live by faith in the Son of God, ^(FR)who loved me and gave Himself for me. ²¹I do not set aside the grace of God; for ^(FS)if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died ^[y]in vain.”