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11 ¡Ojalá me toleraseis un poco de locura! Sí, toleradme. Porque os celo con celo de Dios; pues os he desposado con un solo esposo, para presentaros como una virgen pura a Cristo. Pero temo que como la serpiente con su astucia engañó a Eva,(A) vuestros sentidos sean de alguna manera extraviados de la sincera fidelidad a Cristo. Porque si viene alguno predicando a otro Jesús que el que os hemos predicado, o si recibís otro espíritu que el que habéis recibido, u otro evangelio que el que habéis aceptado, bien lo toleráis; y pienso que en nada he sido inferior a aquellos grandes apóstoles. Pues aunque sea tosco en la palabra, no lo soy en el conocimiento; en todo y por todo os lo hemos demostrado. ¿Pequé yo humillándome a mí mismo, para que vosotros fueseis enaltecidos, por cuanto os he predicado el evangelio de Dios de balde? He despojado a otras iglesias, recibiendo salario para serviros a vosotros. Y cuando estaba entre vosotros y tuve necesidad, a ninguno fui carga, pues lo que me faltaba, lo suplieron los hermanos que vinieron de Macedonia,(B) y en todo me guardé y me guardaré de seros gravoso. 10 Por la verdad de Cristo que está en mí, que no se me impedirá esta mi gloria en las regiones de Acaya. 11 ¿Por qué? ¿Porque no os amo? Dios lo sabe.

12 Mas lo que hago, lo haré aún, para quitar la ocasión a aquellos que la desean, a fin de que en aquello en que se glorían, sean hallados semejantes a nosotros. 13 Porque estos son falsos apóstoles, obreros fraudulentos, que se disfrazan como apóstoles de Cristo. 14 Y no es maravilla, porque el mismo Satanás se disfraza como ángel de luz. 15 Así que, no es extraño si también sus ministros se disfrazan como ministros de justicia; cuyo fin será conforme a sus obras.

Sufrimientos de Pablo como apóstol

16 Otra vez digo: Que nadie me tenga por loco; o de otra manera, recibidme como a loco, para que yo también me gloríe un poquito. 17 Lo que hablo, no lo hablo según el Señor, sino como en locura, con esta confianza de gloriarme. 18 Puesto que muchos se glorían según la carne, también yo me gloriaré; 19 porque de buena gana toleráis a los necios, siendo vosotros cuerdos. 20 Pues toleráis si alguno os esclaviza, si alguno os devora, si alguno toma lo vuestro, si alguno se enaltece, si alguno os da de bofetadas. 21 Para vergüenza mía lo digo, para eso fuimos demasiado débiles.

Pero en lo que otro tenga osadía (hablo con locura), también yo tengo osadía. 22 ¿Son hebreos? Yo también. ¿Son israelitas? Yo también. ¿Son descendientes de Abraham? También yo. 23 ¿Son ministros de Cristo? (Como si estuviera loco hablo.) Yo más; en trabajos más abundante; en azotes sin número; en cárceles(C) más; en peligros de muerte muchas veces. 24 De los judíos cinco veces he recibido cuarenta azotes menos uno.(D) 25 Tres veces he sido azotado con varas;(E) una vez apedreado;(F) tres veces he padecido naufragio; una noche y un día he estado como náufrago en alta mar; 26 en caminos muchas veces; en peligros de ríos, peligros de ladrones, peligros de los de mi nación,(G) peligros de los gentiles,(H) peligros en la ciudad, peligros en el desierto, peligros en el mar, peligros entre falsos hermanos; 27 en trabajo y fatiga, en muchos desvelos, en hambre y sed, en muchos ayunos, en frío y en desnudez; 28 y además de otras cosas, lo que sobre mí se agolpa cada día, la preocupación por todas las iglesias. 29 ¿Quién enferma, y yo no enfermo? ¿A quién se le hace tropezar, y yo no me indigno?

30 Si es necesario gloriarse, me gloriaré en lo que es de mi debilidad. 31 El Dios y Padre de nuestro Señor Jesucristo, quien es bendito por los siglos, sabe que no miento. 32 En Damasco, el gobernador de la provincia del rey Aretas guardaba la ciudad de los damascenos para prenderme; 33 y fui descolgado del muro en un canasto por una ventana, y escapé de sus manos.(I)

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! 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. 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. 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.

I do not think I am in the least inferior to those “super-apostles.”[a](J) 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. 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) I robbed other churches by receiving support from them(P) so as to serve you. 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

  1. 2 Corinthians 11:5 Or to the most eminent apostles

Paul and the False Apostles

11 I wish you would bear with me in a little foolishness. Do bear with me! For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since (A)I betrothed you to one husband, (B)to present you (C)as a pure virgin to Christ. But I am afraid that (D)as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts (E)will be led astray from a (F)sincere and (G)pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes and (H)proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept (I)a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough. Indeed, I consider that (J)I am not in the least inferior to these super-apostles. (K)Even if I am unskilled in speaking, (L)I am not so in knowledge; indeed, in every way (M)we have made this plain to you in all things.

Or (N)did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because (O)I preached God's gospel to you free of charge? I robbed other churches by accepting support from them in order to serve you. And when I was with you and was (P)in need, (Q)I did not burden anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia (R)supplied my need. So I refrained and will refrain (S)from burdening you in any way. 10 (T)As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine (U)will not be silenced in the regions of Achaia. 11 And why? (V)Because I do not love you? (W)God knows I do!

12 And what I am doing I will continue to do, (X)in order to undermine the claim of those who would like to claim that in their boasted mission they work on the same terms as we do. 13 For such men are (Y)false apostles, (Z)deceitful workmen, (AA)disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as (AB)an angel of light. 15 So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as (AC)servants of righteousness. (AD)Their end will correspond to their deeds.

Paul's Sufferings as an Apostle

16 I repeat, (AE)let no one think me foolish. But even if you do, accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little. 17 What I am saying (AF)with this boastful confidence, (AG)I say not as the Lord would[a] but as a fool. 18 Since (AH)many boast according to the flesh, I too will boast. 19 For you gladly bear with fools, (AI)being wise yourselves! 20 For you bear it if someone (AJ)makes slaves of you, or (AK)devours you, or takes advantage of you, or puts on airs, or (AL)strikes you in the face. 21 To my shame, I must say, (AM)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. 22 Are they Hebrews? (AN)So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they (AO)servants of Christ? (AP)I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, (AQ)far more imprisonments, (AR)with countless beatings, and (AS)often near death. 24 Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the (AT)forty lashes less one. 25 Three times I was (AU)beaten with rods. (AV)Once I was stoned. Three times I (AW)was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; 26 on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, (AX)danger from my own people, (AY)danger from Gentiles, (AZ)danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; 27 (BA)in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, (BB)in hunger and thirst, often without food,[b] in cold and exposure. 28 And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for (BC)all the churches. 29 (BD)Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant?

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

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 11:17 Greek not according to the Lord
  2. 2 Corinthians 11:27 Or often in fasting