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

Would that ye could bear with me in a little foolishness: but indeed ye do bear with me.

2 F or 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.

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

3 B ut 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.

But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve in his craftiness, your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity and the purity that is toward Christ.

4 F or 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.

For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we did not preach, or if ye receive a different spirit, which ye did not receive, or a different gospel, which ye did not accept, ye do well to bear with him.

5 F or I reckon that I am not at all behind the very best apostles.

For I reckon that I am not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.

6 B ut 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.

But though I be rude in speech, yet am I not in knowledge; nay, in every way have we made this manifest unto you in all things.

7 O r 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?

Or did I commit a sin in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I preached to you the gospel of God for nought?

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

I robbed other churches, taking wages of them that I might minister unto you;

9 W hen 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.

and when I was present with you and was in want, I was not a burden on any man; for the brethren, when they came from Macedonia, supplied the measure of my want; and in everything I kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself.

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

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

11 W hy? Because I don’t love you? God knows.

Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth.

12 B ut 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.

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

13 F or such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as Christ’s apostles.

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, fashioning themselves into apostles of Christ.

14 A nd no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.

And no marvel; for even Satan fashioneth himself into an angel of light.

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

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

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

I say again, let no man think me foolish; but if ye do, yet as foolish receive me, that I also may glory a little.

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

That which I speak, I speak not after the Lord, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of glorying.

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

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

19 F or you bear with the foolish gladly, being wise.

For ye bear with the foolish gladly, being wise yourselves.

20 F or 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.

For ye bear with a man, if he bringeth you into bondage, if he devoureth you, if he taketh you captive, if he exalteth himself, if he smiteth you on the face.

21 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.

I speak by way of disparagement, as though we had been weak. Yet whereinsoever any 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 offspring 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 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.

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

24 F ive times from the Jews I received forty stripes minus one.

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

25 T hree 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.

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

26 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;

in journeyings often, in perils of rivers, in perils of robbers, in perils from my countrymen, in perils from 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 labor and travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, and in cold and nakedness.

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

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

Besides those things that are without, there is that which presseth upon me daily, anxiety for all the churches.

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

Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is caused to stumble, and I burn not?

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

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

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

The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed for evermore knoweth that I lie not.

32 I n Damascus the governor under King Aretas guarded the city of the Damascenes desiring to arrest me.

In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king guarded the city of the Damascenes in order to take me:

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

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