1Would to God, ye could suffer a little my foolishness, and indeed, ye suffer me.
2For I am jealous over you, with godly jealousy: for I have prepared you for one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ:
3But I fear lest as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupt from the simplicity that is in Christ:
4For if he that cometh, preacheth another Jesus whom we have not preached: or if ye receive another spirit whom ye have not received: either another Gospel which ye have not received, ye might well have suffered him.
5Verily I suppose that I was not inferior to the very chief Apostles.
6And though I be rude in speaking, yet I am not so in knowledge, but among you we have been made manifest to the uttermost, in all things.
7Have I committed an offence, because I abased myself, that ye might be exalted, and because I preached to you the Gospel of God freely?
8I robbed other Churches, and took wages of them to do you service.
9And when I was present with you, and had need, I was not slothful to the hindrance of any man: for that which was lacking unto me, the brethren which came from Macedonia, supplied, and in all things I kept, and will keep myself, that I should not be grievous unto you.
10The truth of Christ is in me, that this rejoicing shall not be shut up against me in the regions of Achaia.
11Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth.
12But what I do, that will I do, that I may cut away occasion from them which desire occasion, that they might be found like unto us in that wherein they rejoice.
13For such false apostles are deceitful workers, and transform themselves into the Apostles of Christ.
14And no marvel: for Satan himself is transformed into an Angel of light.
15Therefore it is no great thing, though his ministers transform themselves, as though they were the ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works.
16I say again, Let no man think that I am foolish, or else take me even as a fool, that I also may boast myself a little.
17That I speak, I speak it not after the Lord: but as it were foolishly, in this my great boasting.
18Seeing that many rejoice after [the] flesh, I will rejoice also.
19For ye suffer fools gladly, because that ye are wise.
20For ye suffer, even if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take your goods, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face.
21I speak as concerning the reproach: as though that we had been weak: but wherein any man is bold (I speak foolishly) I am bold also.
22They are Hebrews, so am I: they are Israelites, so am I: they are the seed of Abraham, so am I.
23They are the ministers of Christ (I speak as a fool) I am more: in labors more abundant: in stripes above measure: in prison more plenteously: in death oft.
24Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
25I was thrice beaten with rods: I was once stoned: I suffered thrice shipwreck: night and day have I been in the deep sea.
26In journeying I was often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of mine own nation, in perils among the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren,
27In weariness and painfulness, in watching often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and in nakedness.
28Beside the things which are outward, I am cumbered daily, and have the care of all the Churches.
29Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is offended, and I burn not?
30If I must needs rejoice, I will rejoice of mine infirmities.
31The God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.
32In Damascus the governor of the people under King Aretas, laid watch in the city of the Damascenes, and would have caught me.
33But at a window was I let down in a basket through the wall, and escaped his hands.