21 To my shame I admit that we were too weak(A) for that!

Whatever anyone else dares to boast about—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast about.(B) 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I.(C) Are they Israelites? So am I.(D) Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I.(E) 23 Are they servants of Christ?(F) (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder,(G) been in prison more frequently,(H) been flogged more severely,(I) and been exposed to death again and again.(J) 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes(K) minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods,(L) once I was pelted with stones,(M) three times I was shipwrecked,(N) 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,(O) in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city,(P) in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers.(Q) 27 I have labored and toiled(R) and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food;(S) I have been cold and naked. 28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.(T) 29 Who is weak, and I do not feel weak?(U) Who is led into sin,(V) and I do not inwardly burn?

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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?(A) So am I.
Are they Israelites? So am I.
Are they the seed of Abraham?(B) 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[a] many times.
24 Five times I received 39 lashes from Jews.(C)
25 Three times I was beaten with rods by the Romans.(D)
Once I was stoned by my enemies.[b](E)
Three times I was shipwrecked.(F)
I have spent a night and a day
in the open sea.
26 On frequent journeys, I faced
dangers from rivers,
dangers from robbers,(G)
dangers from my own people,(H)
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.(I)

28 Not to mention[c] 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,(J) and I do not burn with indignation?

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 11:23 Lit and in deaths
  2. 2 Corinthians 11:25 A common Jewish method of capital punishment; Ac 14:5
  3. 2 Corinthians 11:28 Lit Apart from