2 Corinthians 11:4-12:21

English Standard Version

⁴ For if someone comes and ^(A)proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept ^(B)a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough. ⁵ Indeed, I consider that ^(C)I am not in the least inferior to these super-apostles. ^6 (D)Even if I am unskilled in speaking, ^(E)I am not so in knowledge; indeed, in every way ^(F)we have made this plain to you in all things.

⁷ Or ^(G)did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because ^(H)I preached God's gospel to you free of charge? ⁸ I robbed other churches by accepting support from them in order to serve you. ⁹ And when I was with you and was ^(I)in need, ^(J)I did not burden anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia ^(K)supplied my need. So I refrained and will refrain ^(L)from burdening you in any way. ^10 (M)As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine ^(N)will not be silenced in the regions of Achaia. ¹¹ And why? ^(O)Because I do not love you? ^(P)God knows I do!

¹² And what I am doing I will continue to do, ^(Q)in order to undermine the claim of those who would like to claim that in their boasted mission they work on the same terms as we do. ¹³ For such men are ^(R)false apostles, ^(S)deceitful workmen, ^(T)disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. ¹⁴ And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as ^(U)an angel of light. ¹⁵ So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as ^(V)servants of righteousness. ^(W)Their end will correspond to their deeds.

Paul's Sufferings as an Apostle

¹⁶ I repeat, ^(X)let no one think me foolish. But even if you do, accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little. ¹⁷ What I am saying ^(Y)with this boastful confidence, ^(Z)I say not as the Lord would^[a] but as a fool. ¹⁸ Since ^(AA)many boast according to the flesh, I too will boast. ¹⁹ For you gladly bear with fools, ^(AB)being wise yourselves! ²⁰ For you bear it if someone ^(AC)makes slaves of you, or ^(AD)devours you, or takes advantage of you, or puts on airs, or ^(AE)strikes you in the face. ²¹ To my shame, I must say, ^(AF)we were too weak for that!

But whatever anyone else dares to boast of—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast of that. ²² Are they Hebrews? ^(AG)So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I. ²³ Are they ^(AH)servants of Christ? ^(AI)I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, ^(AJ)far more imprisonments, ^(AK)with countless beatings, and ^(AL)often near death. ²⁴ Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the ^(AM)forty lashes less one. ²⁵ Three times I was ^(AN)beaten with rods. ^(AO)Once I was stoned. Three times I ^(AP)was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; ²⁶ on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, ^(AQ)danger from my own people, ^(AR)danger from Gentiles, ^(AS)danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; ^27 (AT)in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, ^(AU)in hunger and thirst, often without food,^[b] in cold and exposure. ²⁸ And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for ^(AV)all the churches. ^29 (AW)Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant?

^30 (AX)If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. ^31 (AY)The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, ^(AZ)he who is blessed forever, ^(BA)knows that I am not lying. ³² At Damascus, the governor under King Aretas ^(BB)was guarding the city of Damascus in order to seize me, ^33 (BC)but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his hands.

Paul's Visions and His Thorn

12 I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and ^(BD)revelations of the Lord. ² I know a man ^(BE)in Christ who fourteen years ago was ^(BF)caught up to ^(BG)the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, ^(BH)God knows. ³ And I know that this man was caught up into ^(BI)paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, ^(BJ)God knows— ⁴ and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. ⁵ On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, ^(BK)except of my weaknesses— ⁶ though if I should wish to boast, ^(BL)I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. ⁷ So ^(BM)to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations,^{[c] (BN)}a thorn was given me in the flesh, ^(BO)a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. ^8 (BP)Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. ⁹ But he said to me, ^(BQ)“My grace is sufficient for you, for ^(BR)my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that ^(BS)the power of Christ may rest upon me. ^10 (BT)For the sake of Christ, then, ^(BU)I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For ^(BV)when I am weak, then I am strong.

Concern for the Corinthian Church

^11 (BW)I have been a fool! You forced me to it, for I ought to have been commended by you. For I was ^(BX)not at all inferior to these super-apostles, ^(BY)even though I am nothing. ^12 (BZ)The signs of a true apostle were performed among you ^(CA)with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works. ¹³ For in what were you less favored than the rest of the churches, except that ^(CB)I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong!

¹⁴ Here ^(CC)for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be a burden, for ^(CD)I seek not what is yours but you. For ^(CE)children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but ^(CF)parents for their children. ^15 (CG)I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If ^(CH)I love you more, am I to be loved less? ¹⁶ But granting that ^(CI)I myself did not burden you, I was crafty, you say, and got the better of you by deceit. ¹⁷ Did I take advantage of you ^(CJ)through any of those whom I sent to you? ^18 (CK)I urged Titus to go, and sent ^(CL)the brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not act in the same spirit? Did we not take the same steps?

¹⁹ Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? It is ^(CM)in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ, and ^(CN)all for your upbuilding, beloved. ²⁰ For I fear that perhaps ^(CO)when I come I may find you not as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish—that perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder. ²¹ I fear that when I come again my God may humble me before you, and I may have to mourn over many of those ^(CP)who sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, ^(CQ)sexual immorality, and sensuality that they have practiced.