[1] I hope you will put up with a little more of my foolishness. Please bear with me.
[2] For I am jealous for you with the jealousy of God himself. I promised you as a pure bride to one husband—Christ.
[3] But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent.
[4] You happily put up with whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different kind of Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed.
[5] But I don’t consider myself inferior in any way to these “super apostles” who teach such things.
[6] I may be unskilled as a speaker, but I’m not lacking in knowledge. We have made this clear to you in every possible way.
[7] Was I wrong when I humbled myself and honored you by preaching God’s Good News to you without expecting anything in return?
[8] I “robbed” other churches by accepting their contributions so I could serve you at no cost.
[9] And when I was with you and didn’t have enough to live on, I did not become a financial burden to anyone. For the brothers who came from Macedonia brought me all that I needed. I have never been a burden to you, and I never will be.
[10] As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, no one in all of Greece will ever stop me from boasting about this.
[11] Why? Because I don’t love you? God knows that I do.
[12] But I will continue doing what I have always done. This will undercut those who are looking for an opportunity to boast that their work is just like ours.
[13] These people are false apostles. They are deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ.
[14] But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
[15] So it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. In the end they will get the punishment their wicked deeds deserve.
[16] Again I say, don’t think that I am a fool to talk like this. But even if you do, listen to me, as you would to a foolish person, while I also boast a little.
[17] Such boasting is not from the Lord, but I am acting like a fool.
[18] And since others boast about their human achievements, I will, too.
[19] After all, you think you are so wise, but you enjoy putting up with fools!
[20] You put up with it when someone enslaves you, takes everything you have, takes advantage of you, takes control of everything, and slaps you in the face.
[21] I’m ashamed to say that we’ve been too “weak” to do that! But whatever they dare to boast about—I’m talking like a fool again—I dare to boast about it, too.
[22] Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I.
[23] Are they servants of Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again.
[24] Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes.
[25] Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea.
[26] I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not.
[27] I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.
[28] Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches.
[29] Who is weak without my feeling that weakness? Who is led astray, and I do not burn with anger?
[30] If I must boast, I would rather boast about the things that show how weak I am.
[31] God, the Father of our Lord Jesus, who is worthy of eternal praise, knows I am not lying.
[32] When I was in Damascus, the governor under King Aretas kept guards at the city gates to catch me.
[33] I had to be lowered in a basket through a window in the city wall to escape from him.