1 O h, that you would bear with me in a little folly—and indeed you do bear with me.

I wish that you would bear with me in a little foolishness, but indeed you do bear with me.

2 F or 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.

For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy. For I married you to one husband, that I might present you as a pure virgin to Christ.

3 B ut 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.

But I am afraid that somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve in his craftiness, so your minds might be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

4 F or 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

For if he who comes preaches another Jesus, whom we did not preach, or if you receive a different spirit, which you did not receive, or a different “good news”, which you did not accept, you put up with that well enough.

5 F or I consider that I am not at all inferior to the most eminent apostles.

For I reckon that I am not at all behind the very best apostles.

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

But though I am unskilled in speech, yet I am not unskilled in knowledge. No, in every way we have been revealed to you in all things.

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

Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached to you God’s Good News free of charge?

8 I robbed other churches, taking wages from them to minister to you.

I robbed other assemblies, taking wages from them that I might serve you.

9 A nd 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.

When I was present with you and was in need, I wasn’t a burden on anyone, for the brothers, when they came from Macedonia, supplied the measure of my need. In everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and I will continue to do so.

10 A s the truth of Christ is in me, no one shall stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia.

As the truth of Christ is in me, no one will stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia.

11 W hy? Because I do not love you? God knows!

Why? Because I don’t love you? God knows.

12 B ut 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.

But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them that desire an occasion, that in which they boast, they may be found even as we.

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

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as Christ’s apostles.

14 A nd no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.

And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.

15 T herefore 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

It is no great thing therefore if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

16 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.

I say again, let no one think me foolish. But if so, yet receive me as foolish, that I also may boast a little.

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

That which I speak, I don’t speak according to the Lord, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of boasting.

18 S eeing that many boast according to the flesh, I also will boast.

Seeing that many boast after the flesh, I will also boast.

19 F or you put up with fools gladly, since you yourselves are wise!

For you bear with the foolish gladly, being wise.

20 F or 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.

For you bear with a man, if he brings you into bondage, if he devours you, if he takes you captive, if he exalts himself, if he strikes you on the face.

21 T o 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

I speak by way of disparagement, as though we had been weak. Yet in whatever way anyone is bold (I speak in foolishness), I am bold also.

22 A re 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 offspring of Abraham? So am I.

23 A re 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.

Are they servants of Christ? (I speak as one beside himself) I am more so; in labors more abundantly, in prisons more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in deaths often.

24 F rom the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one.

Five times from the Jews I received forty stripes minus one.

25 T hree 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;

Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I suffered shipwreck. I have been a night and a day in the deep.

26 i n 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;

I have been in travels often, perils of rivers, perils of robbers, perils from my countrymen, perils from the Gentiles, perils in the city, perils in the wilderness, perils in the sea, perils among false brothers;

27 i n weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness—

in labor and travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, and in cold and nakedness.

28 b esides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.

Besides those things that are outside, there is that which presses on me daily, anxiety for all the assemblies.

29 W ho is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?

Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is caused to stumble, and I don’t burn with indignation?

30 I f I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity.

If I must boast, I will boast of the things that concern my weakness.

31 T he God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.

The God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, he who is blessed forever more, knows that I don’t lie.

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

In Damascus the governor under King Aretas guarded the city of the Damascenes desiring to arrest me.

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

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