The Daily Audio Bible

¹⁶ I say again, let no one think that I am foolish, (or even take me as a fool) that I may also boast of myself a little.

¹⁷ What I speak, I do not speak according to the Lord but, as it were, foolishly, while we are boasting.

¹⁸ Seeing that many rejoice after the flesh, I will rejoice also.

¹⁹ For you endure fools gladly, because you are wise.

²⁰ For you endure, even if someone enslaves you, if someone devours you, if someone takes from you, if someone exalts himself, if someone strikes you on the face.

²¹ Concerning dishonor I speak as though we were weak. But wherein anyone is bold (I speak foolishly) I am bold also.

²² They are Hebrews, so am I. They are Israelites, so am I. They are the seed of Abraham, so am I.

²³ They are the ministers of Christ (I speak as a fool) I am more; In labors, more abundant; in stripes, above measure, in prison, more exceedingly; in death often.

²⁴ Five times I have received forty stripes minus one from the Jews.

²⁵ Three times I was beaten with rods. I was once stoned. I suffered shipwreck three times. Night and day, I have been on the deep sea.

²⁶ While journeying I was often in perils from waters, in perils from robbers, in perils from my own nation, in perils among the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brothers,

²⁷ in weariness and painfulness, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and in nakedness.

²⁸ Besides outward things, I am daily-laden, and care for all the churches.

²⁹ Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is offended, and I do not burn?

³⁰ If I must boast, I will boast of my infirmities.

³¹ The God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is blessed for evermore, knows that I do not lie.

³² In Damascus, the governor of the people under King Aretas, posted a guard over the city of the Damascenes, and would have caught me.

³³ But at a window, I was let down in a basket, through the wall, and escaped his hands.