New Testament in a Year

More Reasons for Paul to Brag

¹⁶ Again I say that no one should think that I’m a fool. But if you do, then take me for a fool so that I can also brag a little. ¹⁷ What I say as I start bragging is foolishness. It’s not something I would say if I were speaking for the Lord. ¹⁸ Since it’s common for people to brag, I’ll do it too. ¹⁹ You’re wise, so you’ll gladly put up with fools. ²⁰ When someone makes you slaves, consumes your wealth, seizes your property, orders you around, or slaps your faces, you put up with it. ²¹ I’m ashamed to admit it, but Timothy and I don’t have the strength to do those things to you.

Whatever other people dare to brag about, I, like a fool, can also brag about. ²² Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I. ²³ Are they Christ’s servants? It’s insane to say it, but I’m a far better one. I’ve done much more work, been in prison many more times, been beaten more severely, and have faced death more often. ²⁴ Five times the Jewish leaders had me beaten with 39 lashes; ²⁵ three times Roman officials had me beaten with clubs. Once people tried to stone me to death; three times I was shipwrecked, and I drifted on the sea for a night and a day. ²⁶ Because I’ve traveled a lot, I’ve faced dangers from raging rivers, from robbers, from my own people, and from other people. I’ve faced dangers in the city, in the open country, on the sea, and from believers who turned out to be false friends. ²⁷ Because I’ve had to work so hard, I’ve often gone without sleep, been hungry and thirsty, and gone without food and without proper clothes during cold weather. ²⁸ Besides these external matters, I have the daily pressure of my anxiety about all the churches. ²⁹ When anyone is weak, I’m weak too. When anyone is caught in a trap, I’m also harmed.

³⁰ If I must brag, I will brag about the things that show how weak I am. ³¹ The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is praised forever, knows that I’m not lying. ³² The governor under King Aretas put guards around the city of Damascus to catch me. ³³ So I was let down in a basket through an opening in the wall and escaped from him.