¹⁷ In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to boast of my work for God.

¹⁴ But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession and through us spreads in every place the fragrance that comes from knowing him.^{[a] 15} For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing:^{(A) 16} to the one group a fragrance from death^[b] to death, to the other a fragrance from life^[c] to life. Who is qualified for these things?^(B)

5 Every high priest chosen from among mortals is put in charge of things pertaining to God on their behalf, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.

³ For it is we who are the circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God^[a] and boast in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh^(A)—

¹⁷ Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people.^(A)

Paul’s Concern for the Corinthian Church

¹¹ I have been a fool! You forced me to it. Indeed you should have been the ones commending me, for I am not at all inferior to these super-apostles, even though I am nothing.^{(A) 12} The signs of an apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, signs and wonders and mighty works.^{(B) 13} How have you been worse off than the other churches, except that I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong!^(C)

¹⁴ Here I am, ready to come to you this third time, and I will not be a burden because I do not want what is yours but you, for children ought not to save up for their parents but parents for their children.^{(D) 15} I will most gladly spend and be spent for you. If I love you more, am I to be loved less?^{(E) 16} Be that as it may, I did not burden you. But, crafty person that I am, did I take you in by deceit? ¹⁷ Did I take advantage of you through any of those whom I sent to you? ¹⁸ I urged Titus to go and sent the brother with him. Titus did not take advantage of you, did he? Did we not conduct ourselves with the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same footsteps?^(F)

¹⁹ Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves before you? We are speaking in Christ before God. Everything we do, beloved, is for the sake of building you up.^{(G) 20} For I fear that when I come I may find you not as I wish and that you may find me not as you wish; I fear that there may perhaps be quarreling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder.^{(H) 21} I fear that when I come again my God may humble me before you and that I may have to mourn over many who previously sinned and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and debauchery that they have practiced.^(I)

Paul’s Visions and Revelations

12 It is necessary to boast; nothing is to be gained by it, but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord.

Paul’s Sufferings as an Apostle

¹⁶ I repeat, let no one think that I am a fool, but if you do, then accept me as a fool, so that I, too, may boast a little. ¹⁷ What I am saying in regard to this boastful undertaking, I am saying not with the Lord’s authority but as a fool;^{(A) 18} since many boast according to human standards,^[a] I will also boast. ¹⁹ For you gladly put up with fools, being wise yourselves! ²⁰ For you put up with it when someone makes slaves of you or preys upon you or takes advantage of you or puts on airs or gives you a slap in the face. ²¹ To my shame, I must say, we were too weak for that!

But whatever anyone dares to boast of—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast of that.^{(B) 22} Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I.^{(C) 23} Are they ministers of Christ? I am talking like a madman—I am a better one: with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless floggings, and often near death.^{(D) 24} Five times I have received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.^{(E) 25} Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I received a stoning. Three times I was shipwrecked; for a night and a day I was adrift at sea;^{(F) 26} on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from bandits, danger from my own people, danger from gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers and sisters;^{(G) 27} in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, hungry and thirsty, often without food,^[b] cold and naked.^{(H) 28} And, besides other things, I am under daily pressure because of my anxiety for all the churches. ²⁹ Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I am not indignant?^(I)

³⁰ If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.^(J)

⁴ I am being completely frank with you; I have great pride in you; I am filled with consolation; I am overjoyed in all our affliction.^(A)