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

Oh, that you would bear with me in a little folly—and indeed you do 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 for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as 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 somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in 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 he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it! Paul and False Apostles

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

For I consider that I am not at all inferior to the most eminent 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.

Even though I am untrained in speech, yet I am not in knowledge. But we have been thoroughly manifested among you in all things.

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?

Did I commit sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge?

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

I robbed other churches, taking wages from them to minister to 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 when I was present with you, and in need, I was a burden to no one, for what I lacked the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied. And in everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so I 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.

As the truth of Christ is in me, no one shall stop me from this boasting 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 continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast.

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

For such are 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 no wonder! 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.

Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works. Reluctant Boasting

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.

I say again, let no one think me a fool. If otherwise, at least receive me as a fool, that I also may boast a 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 speak not according to the Lord, but as it were, foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.

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

Seeing that many boast according to the flesh, I also will boast.

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

For you put up with fools gladly, since you yourselves are 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 you put up with it if one brings you into bondage, if one devours you, if one takes from you, if one exalts himself, if one strikes 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.

To our shame I say that we were too weak for that! But in whatever anyone is bold—I speak foolishly—I am bold also. Suffering for Christ

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? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I.

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 a fool—I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often.

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

From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus 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;

Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been 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 journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, 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;

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

in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness 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 the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.

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 made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?

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

If I must 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 our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.

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 governor, under Aretas the king, was guarding the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desiring to arrest me;

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

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