1 ¶ I wish ye could bear with me a little in my folly and indeed bear with me.

Would that ye would bear with me a little folly; but indeed bear with me.

2 F or I am jealous over you with the jealousy of God, for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to the Christ.

For I am jealous as to you with a jealousy of God; for I have espoused you unto one man, to present a chaste virgin to Christ.

3 B ut I fear that as the serpent deceived Eve through his craftiness, so your senses should be corrupted in some way, and ye should fall from the simplicity that is in the Christ.

But I fear lest by any means, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craft, your thoughts should be corrupted from simplicity as to the Christ.

4 T herefore if anyone comes preaching another Jesus whom we have not preached or if ye receive another spirit from that which ye have received or another gospel from that which ye have accepted, ye bear well with it.

For if indeed he that comes preaches another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or ye get a different Spirit, which ye have not got, or a different glad tidings, which ye have not received, ye might well bear with.

5 ¶ I reckon that I have not been inferior in any way to those grandiose apostles.

For I reckon that in nothing I am behind those who are in surpassing degree apostles.

6 B ut though I am rude in speech, yet not in knowledge, but we have been thoroughly made manifest among you in all things.

But if a simple person in speech, yet not in knowledge, but in everything making manifest in all things to you.

7 H ave I committed an offence in humbling myself that ye might be exalted because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?

Have I committed sin, abasing myself in order that ye might be exalted, because I gratuitously announced to you the glad tidings of God?

8 I deprived the other congregations, taking wages of them, to do you service.

I spoiled other assemblies, receiving hire for ministry towards you.

9 A nd when I was present with you and had need, I was not a burden to any of you, for that which was lacking to me was supplied by the brethren which came from Macedonia; and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself.

And being present with you and lacking, I did not lazily burden any one, (for the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied what I lacked,) and in everything I kept myself from being a burden to you, and will keep myself.

10 I t is the truth of Christ in me that this glory shall not be sealed up unto me in the regions of Achaia.

truth of Christ is in me that this boasting shall not be stopped as to me in the regions of Achaia.

11 W hy? because I do not love you? God knows.

Why? because I do not love you? God knows.

12 B ut what I do, I will continue to do that I may take away the occasion from those who desire it to be found like unto us in that in which they glory.

But what I do, I will also do, that I may cut off the opportunity of those wishing an opportunity, that wherein they boast they may be found even as we.

13 F or these false apostles are deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.

For such false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.

14 A nd it is no marvel, for Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.

And not wonderful, for Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.

15 T herefore it is no great thing if his ministers transform themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works.

It is no great thing therefore if his ministers also transform themselves as ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

16 ¶ I say again, Let no one think me a fool if otherwise, receive me as a fool, that I may yet glory a little.

Again I say, Let not any one think me to be a fool; but if otherwise, receive me then even as a fool, that I also may boast myself some little.

17 T hat which I speak, I speak it not according to the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of glory.

What I speak I do not speak according to Lord, but as in folly, in this confidence of boasting.

18 S eeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also.

Since many boast according to flesh, I also will boast.

19 F or ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise.

For ye bear fools readily, being wise.

20 F or ye suffer it if anyone brings you into bondage, if anyone devours you, if anyone takes of you, if anyone exalts himself, if anyone smites you on the face.

For ye bear if any one bring you into bondage, if any one devour, if any one get, if any one exalt himself, if any one beat you on the face.

21 I speak as concerning the reproach, as though we had been weak. Howbeit in that in which another is bold, (I speak foolishly), I am bold also.

I speak as to dishonour, as though we had been weak; but wherein any one is daring, (I speak in folly,) I also am daring.

22 ¶ Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.

Are they Hebrews? I also. Are they Israelites? I also. Are they seed of Abraham? I also.

23 A re they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more, in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths often.

Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as being beside myself) I above measure; in labours exceedingly abundant, in stripes to excess, in prisons exceedingly abundant, in deaths oft.

24 O f the Jews five times I received forty stripes less one.

From the Jews five times have I received forty, save one.

25 T hree times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned; three times I suffered shipwreck, night and day I have been in the deep;

Thrice have I been scourged, once I have been stoned, three times I have suffered shipwreck, a night and day I passed in the deep:

26 i n journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by those of my nation, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;

in journeyings often, in perils of rivers, in perils of robbers, in perils from race, in perils from nations, in perils in city, in perils in desert, in perils on sea, in perils among false brethren;

27 i n labour and travail, in many watches, in hunger and thirst, in many fasts, in cold and nakedness.

in labour and toil, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

28 B eside those things that are without, my daily combat is the welfare of all the congregations.

Besides those things that are without, the crowd pressing on me daily, the burden of all the assemblies.

29 W ho is sick, and I am not sick? who stumbles, and I burn not?

Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is stumbled, and I burn not?

30 I f I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern my weakness.

If it is needful to boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity.

31 T he God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed for evermore, knows that I do not lie.

The God and Father of the Lord Jesus knows—he who is blessed for ever—that I do not lie.

32 I n Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me;

In Damascus the ethnarch of Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes shut up, wishing to take me;

33 a nd through a window in a basket I was let down by the wall and escaped his hands.

and through a window in a basket I was let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.