Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

¹⁶ I am not talking like the Lord when I say this. It seems foolish to say so much about myself.

¹⁷ Many people talk about themselves in the world. So I will too.

¹⁸ Since you are wise, you still agree to listen to foolish people.

¹⁹ You listen to a man even if he makes slaves of you, even if he spends all your money, even if he catches you in a trap, even if he is proud of himself, even if he slaps you in the face.

²⁰ I am ashamed, but I must say that we were too weak to be like that! Anything that others want to be proud of, I can talk about too. And yet it is really foolish to do so.

²¹ Are they Hebrew people? So am I. Are they Israel's people? So am I. Is Abraham their father? He is mine too.

²² Are they workers for Christ? (I talk like one who is not in his right mind.) I am a better worker. I have worked much harder. I have been in prison more often. I have been beaten many, many times. Often I have almost died.

²³ The Jewish leaders five times gave me thirty nine strikes with the rope.

²⁴ Three times people beat me with sticks, and once they threw rocks at me. Three times I was in a boat when it broke in the sea. I have been in the water all one night and day.

²⁵ I have travelled much. I have crossed bad rivers. I have gone where men might steal my things. The Jews and those who are not Jews have troubled me. I have been in hard places in the city. I have had hard times in the desert. I have had hard times on the water. I have had hard times among those who should have been my brothers and were not.

²⁶ I have worked hard. I have been tired out. I have often had no sleep at night. I have been hungry and thirsty. I have often had nothing to eat. I have been cold and did not have enough clothes to wear.

²⁷ Beside all other things, my heart is troubled about the churches. That is a load I carry every day.

²⁸ When anyone is weak, I am weak too. When anyone is made to fall away, my heart burns within me

³⁰ If I must talk about myself, I will talk about the things that show I am weak.

³¹ God knows I am not telling lies. He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and he is to be praised forever. 32In the city of Damascus a man ruled for king Aretas. He had the gates of the city guarded because he wanted to catch me.

³² But I sat in a basket. Then it was put out through a window in the wall and was let down. And so I got away from him.