[CHAP. XI.]
I WISH ye would bear with me a little in my foolishness, yea indeed bear with me. 2For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy; for I have espoused you to one husband, to present you a chaste virgin to Christ. 3But I fear lest as the serpent beguiled Eve by his craftiness, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity which belongs to Christ. 4For if he indeed that cometh preach another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not embraced, ye might well bear with him. 5For I reckon myself to be nothing inferior to the very chief of the apostles. 6For though I may be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but on every occasion we have been made manifest in all things among you.
7Am I chargeable with a fault (humbling myself that you might be exalted), that I preached to you the gospel of God freely? 8I plundered other churches, receiving a provision from them, in order to minister to you. 9And when I was with you, and in want, I was burdensome to no man; for my want the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied; and on every occasion I have kept myself from being burdensome, and will keep myself. 10I protest, by the truth of Christ in me, that from this boasting no man shall seal up my lips in the regions of Achaia. 11Wherefore? Because I love you not? God knoweth. 12But what I do, I will do also, that I may cut off occasion from those who desire occasion, that wherein they boast, they may be found even as we. 13For such are fake apostles, deceitful labourers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. 14And no marvel! For Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15It is no wonder therefore if his ministers also be transformed as ministers of righteousness; whose end will be according to their works. 16I repeat it again, Let no man suppose that I am a fool; but if otherwise, then as a fool receive me, that I too may boast myself a little. 17What I speak, I speak not after the Lord, but as it were in folly in this confidence of boasting. 18Seeing many boast themselves after the flesh, I will boast also. 19For ye bear with fools easily when you are wise yourselves. 20For ye bear if a man enslave you, if a man eat you up, if a man receive from you, if a man is insolent, if a man smite you on the face. 21I speak with reference to the reproach cast on me, as though we were feeble; but wherein any man is bold (I speak in foolishness), I am bold also. 22Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I. 23Are they the ministers of Christ? (I speak foolishly) I am above them: in labours more abundantly, in stripes exceedingly more, in prisons more frequently, in the most immediate danger of death often. 24Of the Jews five times I have received forty stripes save one. 25Thrice I have been scourged with rods, once I have been stoned, thrice I have suffered shipwreck, a whole night and day I have passed in the deep; 26in journeyings often, in perils of rivers, in perils of robbers, in perils from my own countrymen, in perils from the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the desert, in perils on the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27in labour and travail, in watchings often, in fastings frequently, in hunger and thirst, in cold and nakedness; 28and beside all these things from without, that accumulated burden which cometh on me daily, the care of all the churches. 29Who is feeble, and am I not feeble? Who is offended, and am I not on fire? 30If I must glory, I will glory in the things which respect my infirmities. 31The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not. 32In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king guarded the city of the Damascenes, intending to seize me; 33and through a window in a basket I was let down by the wall, and escaped out of his hands.
[CHAP. XII.]
IT is not expedient doubtless for me to boast. I will yet come to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body I know not, or whether out of the body I know not: God knoweth;) such a one was caught up unto the third heavens. 3And I knew such a man, (whether in the body or out of the body I know not: God knoweth,) 4that he was caught up into paradise, and heard ineffable words, which it is not permitted to man to speak. 5Of such a one will I boast; but in myself will I not boast, save in my infirmities. 6For though I should be disposed to boast, I shall not be a fool; for I shall speak truth: but I desist, lest any man think of me above what he seeth me to be, or what he heareth of me. 7And that I might not be lifted up above measure by the transcendent greatness of the revelations, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, the angel Satan, to buffet me, that I might not be lifted up above measure. 8For this thrice I besought the Lord, that he might depart from me. 9And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may fix its residence in me. 10Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then am I strong.
11Have I become a fool in boasting? ye have compelled me; for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing have I been inferior to the very chief apostles, though I be nothing. 12The signs indeed of an apostle have been wrought among you in all patience, in miracles, and wonders, and mighty deeds. 13For what is there wherein ye have been inferior to the other churches, except that I have not been burdensome to you? Forgive me this wrong. 14Lo! I hold myself ready the third time to come unto you, and I will not burden you; for I seek not yours but you: for the children ought not to lay up treasure for their parents, but the parents for the children. 15And I will most cheerfully spend and be spent for your souls, though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.
16But admit it, I was not burdensome to you: but being crafty, I caught you with guile. 17Did I make a gain of you by any one individual whom I sent unto you? 18I entreated Titus to go to you, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus make any advantage of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps?
19Think ye that we are again making an apology to you? In the sight of God speak we in Christ: but all things, beloved, for your edification. 20For I am afraid that when I come I shall not find you such as I wish, and that I shall be found of you such as ye would not: lest haply there be contentions, jealousies, animosities, quarrels, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults: 21and lest when I come to you again, my God should bow me down, and I should lament over many who have sinned before, and have not repented of the impurities, and whoredom, and lasciviousness which they have committed.
[CHAP. XIII.]
THIS third time I am coming to you: by the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every charge be established. 2I have told you before, and I repeat it, as when I was present the second time, and now absent, I write to those who have sinned already, and to all the rest, that if I come again, I will not spare you: 3since ye demand a proof that Christ speaketh in me, who to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you. 4For though he was crucified in weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God: for we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God displayed towards you.