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

Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me.

2 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.

For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

3 E ve 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.

But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

4 Y ou 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.

For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

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

For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.

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

But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things.

7 D id 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.

Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?

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

I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service.

9 S ome 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.

And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself.

10 A s 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.

As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.

11 D oes it mean I do not love you? God knows I do.

Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth.

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

But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.

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

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

14 I t is no surprise! The devil makes himself look like an angel of light.

And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

15 A nd 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

Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

16 L et 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.

I say again, let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little.

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

That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.

18 S ince the other men tell you all about themselves, I will talk about myself also.

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

19 Y ou are so wise! You put up with fools!

For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise.

20 Y ou 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.

For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face.

21 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.)

I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak. Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold also.

22 A re 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.

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

23 D o 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.

Are 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 oft.

24 F ive different times the Jews whipped me across my back thirty-nine times.

Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.

25 T hree 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.

Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;

26 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.

In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;

27 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.

In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

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

Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

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

Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?

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

If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.

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

The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.

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

In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me:

33 B ut I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and I got away.

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