1 ¶ Bien que tolerareis un poco mi locura; pero toleradme.

I wish you would listen to a little foolish talk from me. Now listen.

2 P orque os celo con celo de Dios; pues os he desposado a un marido, para presentaros como una virgen limpia al Cristo.

I am jealous for you with a God-like jealousy. I have given you, as a woman who has never had a man, to one Husband, Who is Christ.

3 M as temo que como la serpiente engañó a Eva con su astucia, sean corrompidos así vuestros sentidos en alguna manera, y caigan de la simplicidad que es en el Cristo.

Eve was fooled by the snake in the garden of Eden. In the same way, I am afraid that you will be fooled and led away from your pure love for Christ.

4 P or lo cual si alguno que viniere predicare otro Cristo diferente al que hemos predicado, o recibiereis otro Espíritu del que habéis recibido, u otro Evangelio del que habéis aceptado, lo sufrierais bien.

You listen when someone comes and preaches a different Jesus than the One we preached. You believe what you hear about a different spirit and different good news than that which we preached.

5 ¶ En verdad pienso que en nada he sido inferior a aquellos grandiosos apóstoles.

I do not think I am less than those special missionaries who are coming to you.

6 P orque aunque soy basto en la palabra, empero no en la ciencia; mas en todo somos ya del todo manifiestos a vosotros.

Even if it is hard for me to speak, I know what I am talking about. You know this by now.

7 ¿ Por ventura pequé humillándome a mí mismo, para que vosotros fuerais ensalzados? Porque os he predicado el Evangelio de Dios gratuitamente.

Did I do wrong? I did not ask you for anything when I preached the Good News to you. I made myself poor so you would be made rich.

8 H e sacado de las otras Iglesias, recibiendo salario para ministraros a vosotros.

I did take money from other churches. I used it while I worked with you so you would not have to pay me.

9 Y estando con vosotros y teniendo necesidad, a ninguno de vosotros fui carga; porque lo que me faltaba, lo suplieron los hermanos que vinieron de Macedonia; y en todo me guardé de seros gravoso, y me guardaré.

Some of the time I had no money when I was with you. But I did not ask you for money. The Christians from the country of Macedonia brought me what I needed. I did not ask you and I will not ask you for anything.

10 E s la verdad del Cristo en mí, que esta gloria no me será sellada en las partes de Acaya.

As sure as the truth of Christ is in me, I will not stop telling those in the country of Greece that I am proud of this.

11 ¿ Por qué? ¿Porque no os amo? Dios lo sabe.

Does it mean I do not love you? God knows I do.

12 M as lo que hago, lo haré aún, para quitar la ocasión de aquellos que la desean para ser hallados semejantes a nosotros en lo que se glorían.

What I am doing now, I will keep on doing. I will do it to stop those who say they work as we do.

13 P orque estos falsos apóstoles, son obreros fraudulentos, transfigurándose en apóstoles de Cristo.

Those men are false missionaries. They lie about their work. But they make themselves look like true missionaries of Christ.

14 Y no es maravilla, porque el mismo Satanás se transfigura en ángel de luz.

It is no surprise! The devil makes himself look like an angel of light.

15 A sí que, no es mucho si sus ministros se transfiguran como ministros de justicia; cuyo fin será conforme a sus obras.

And so it is no surprise if his servants also make themselves look like preachers of the Good News. They and their work will come to the same end. What Paul Suffered as a Missionary

16 ¶ Otra vez digo: Que nadie me estime ser loco; de otra manera, recibidme como a loco, para que aun me gloríe yo un poquito.

Let me say it again. Do not think of me as a fool. But if you do, then let this foolish man speak a little about himself.

17 L o que hablo, no lo hablo según el Señor, sino como en locura, con esta confianza de gloria.

The Lord has not told me to talk about myself. I am foolish when I do talk about myself like this.

18 P uesto que muchos se glorían según la carne, también yo me gloriaré.

Since the other men tell you all about themselves, I will talk about myself also.

19 P orque de buena gana toleráis los locos, siendo vosotros sabios;

You are so wise! You put up with fools!

20 p orque toleráis si alguno os pone en servidumbre, si alguno os devora, si alguno toma, si alguno se ensalza, si alguno os hiere en la cara.

You listen to anyone who tells you what to do or makes money off of you or sets a trap for you. You will listen to anyone who makes himself bigger than you or hits you in the face.

21 L o digo en cuanto a la afrenta, como si nosotros hubiéramos sido flacos (en esta parte). Pero en lo que otro tuviere osadía (hablo con locura), también yo tengo osadía.

I am ashamed to say that I am weak! But I do not do as they do. Whatever they say about themselves, I can say about myself also. (I know what I am saying sounds foolish.)

22 ¶ ¿Son hebreos? Yo también. ¿Son israelitas? Yo también. ¿Son simiente de Abraham? También yo.

Are they Jews? So am I. Are they from the family of Israel? So am I. Are they from the family of Abraham? So am I.

23 ¿ Son ministros de Cristo? (Como poco sabio hablo), yo más; en trabajos más abundante; en azotes más; en cárceles más; en muertes, muchas veces.

Do they work for Christ? I have worked for Him much more than they have. (I speak as if I am crazy.) I have done much more work. I have been in prison more times. I cannot remember how many times I have been whipped. Many times I have been in danger of death.

24 D e los judíos cinco veces he recibido cuarenta azotes menos uno.

Five different times the Jews whipped me across my back thirty-nine times.

25 T res veces he sido azotado con varas; una vez apedreado; tres veces he padecido naufragio; noche y día he estado en lo profundo (del mar);

Three times they beat me with sticks. One time they threw stones at me. Three times I was on ships that were wrecked. I spent a day and a night in the water.

26 e n caminos, muchas veces; peligros de ríos, peligros de ladrones, peligros de los de mi nación, peligros de los gentiles, peligros en la ciudad, peligros en el desierto, peligros en el mar, peligros con falsos hermanos;

I have made many hard trips. I have been in danger from high water on rivers. I have been in danger from robbers. I have been in danger from the Jews. I have been in danger from people who do not know God. I have been in danger in cities and in the desert. I have been in danger on the sea. I have been in danger among people who say they belong to Christ but do not.

27 e n trabajo y fatiga, en muchas vigilias, en hambre y sed, en muchos ayunos, en frío y en desnudez;

I have worked hard and have been tired and have had pain. I have gone many times without sleep. I have been hungry and thirsty. I have gone without food and clothes. I have been out in the cold.

28 y además de otras cosas, mi combate de cada día es la solicitud de todas las Iglesias.

More than all these things that have happened to my body, the care of all the churches is heavy on me.

29 ¿ Quién enferma, y yo no enfermo? ¿Quién se tropieza, y yo no me quemo?

When someone is weak, I feel weak also. When someone is led into sin, I have a strong desire to help him.

30 S i es necesario gloriarse, me gloriaré yo de lo que es de mi flaqueza.

If I must talk about myself, I will do it about the things that show how weak I am.

31 E l Dios y Padre del Señor nuestro, Jesús el Cristo, que es bendito por los siglos, sabe que no miento.

The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is to be honored and thanked forever. He knows I am telling the truth.

32 E n Damasco, el capitán de la gente del rey Aretas guardaba la ciudad de los damascenos para prenderme;

In the city of Damascus the leader of the people under King Aretas put soldiers at the gates to take me.

33 y fui descolgado del muro por una ventana, y escapé de sus manos.

But I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and I got away.