Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Don’t Think Me Foolish, But I Too Can Boast

¹⁶ Again I say, let no one think me to be foolish. Otherwise indeed, receive me even if as foolish, in order that I also may boast a little bit! ¹⁷ In this confidence^[a] of boasting^[b], what I am speaking, I am not speaking according-to the Lord, but as in foolishness.

I Also Can Boast In My Heritage And My Service For Christ

¹⁸ Since many are boasting according-to the flesh, I also will boast! ¹⁹ For with-pleasure you bear-with the unwise^[c], being wise. ²⁰ For you bear-with it if anyone enslaves^[d] you, if anyone devours^[e] you, if anyone takes you, if anyone lifts-up^[f] himself, if anyone beats^[g] you in the face. ²¹ I speak in-accordance-with my dishonor^[h]— how that we have been weak! But in whatever anyone may dare to boast— I am speaking in foolishness— I also dare. ²² Are they Hebrews? I also. Are they Israelites? I also. Are they seed of Abraham? I also. ²³ Are they servants of Christ? I speak being distraught^[i], I more— in far-more labors, in far-more prisons, in many-more beatings, in deaths^[j] often.

But I Will Boast In The Things Pertaining To My Weakness

²⁴ By Jews five-times I received forty lashes less one. ²⁵ Three-times I was beaten-with-rods. Once I was stoned. Three-times I was shipwrecked. I have done a night-and-day in the deep. ²⁶ On journeys often— in dangers from rivers, in dangers from robbers, in dangers from my nation^[k], in dangers from Gentiles, in dangers in the city, in dangers in the wilderness, in dangers at sea, in dangers among false-brothers. ²⁷ In labor and hardship, in watchings^[l] often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. ²⁸ Apart from the external^[m] things, there is the daily pressure^[n] on me, the concern for all the churches— ²⁹ who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is caused-to-fall, and I do not burn^[o]? ³⁰ If it-is-necessary^[p] to boast, I will boast the things of my weakness! ³¹ The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, the One being blessed^[q] forever, knows that I am not lying. ³² In Damascus, the ethnarch^[r] of Aretas^[s] the king was guarding the city of the Damascenes to seize me. ³³ And I was lowered in a basket through a window through the wall and escaped his hands.