2 Corinthians 11:21-29

Expanded Bible

²¹ It is shameful to me to say this, but we were too “weak” to do those things to you!

But if anyone else ·is brave enough [dares] to ·brag [boast], then I also will ·be brave and brag [dare to boast]. (I am talking as a fool.) ²² Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they from Abraham’s ·family [descendants; ^Lseed]? So am I. ²³ Are they servants of Christ? I am serving him more. (I am crazy to talk like this.) I have worked much harder than they. I have been in prison more often [Acts 16:23–40]. I have been ·hurt more in beatings [flogged more severely; Acts 16:22]. I have been near death many times. ²⁴ Five times the Jews have given me ·their punishment of thirty-nine lashes with a whip [^Lforty minus one; ^Ca shorthand phrase for the standard Jewish punishment; Deut. 25:1–3 allowed a maximum of forty lashes; the Jews gave thirty-nine to avoid breaking the law]. ²⁵ Three different times I was beaten with rods [^Ca Roman punishment]. One time I was almost stoned to death [Acts 14:19]. Three times I was in ships that wrecked, and one of those times I spent a night and a day in the sea [^CPaul’s shipwreck in Acts 27 occurred after writing this (c. ad 60), so he experienced at least four shipwrecks]. ²⁶ I have gone on many travels and have been in danger from rivers, from ·thieves [bandits], from my own people [^Cthe Jews], and from the Gentiles. I have been in danger in cities, in ·places where no one lives [the desert/wilderness], and on the sea. And I have been in danger with false ·Christians [^Lbrothers]. ²⁷ I have done hard and tiring work, and many times I did not sleep. I have been hungry and thirsty, and many times I have been without food. I have been cold and ·without clothes [or destitute; ^Lnaked]. ²⁸ Besides all this, there is on me every day the ·load [pressure] of my ·concern [anxiety] for all the churches. ²⁹ I feel weak every time someone is weak [^LWho is weak, and I am not weak?], and ·I feel upset every time someone is led into sin [^LWho is led into sin, and I am not indignant/^Lburning (with anger)?].