^{1 Ref} Put up with me if I am a little foolish: but, truly, you do put up with me.

^{2 Ref} For I have a very great care for you: because you have been married by me to one husband, and it is my desire to give you completely holy to Christ.

^{3 Ref} But I have a fear, that in some way, as Eve was tricked by the deceit of the snake, your minds may be turned away from their simple and holy love for Christ.

^{4 Ref} For if anyone comes preaching another Jesus from the one whose preachers we are, or if you have got a different spirit, or a different sort of good news from those which came to you, how well you put up with these things.

^{5 Ref} For in my opinion, I am in no way less than the most important of the Apostles.

^{6 Ref} But though I am rough in my way of talking, I am not so in knowledge, as we have made clear to all by our acts among you.

^{7 Ref} Or did I do wrong in making myself low so that you might be lifted up, because I gave you the good news of God without reward?

^{8 Ref} I took money from other churches as payment for my work, so that I might be your servant;

^{9 Ref} And when I was present with you, and was in need, I let no man be responsible for me; for the brothers, when they came from Macedonia, gave me whatever was needed; and in everything I kept myself from being a trouble to you, and I will go on doing so.

^{10 Ref} As the true word of Christ is in me, I will let no man take from me this my cause of pride in the country of Achaia.

^{11 Ref} Why? because I have no love for you? let God be judge.

^{12 Ref} But what I do, that I will go on doing, so that I may give no chance to those who are looking for one; so that, in the cause of their pride, they may be seen to be the same as we are.

^{13 Ref} For such men are false Apostles, workers of deceit, making themselves seem like Apostles of Christ.

^{14 Ref} And it is no wonder; for even Satan himself is able to take the form of an angel of light.

^{15 Ref} So it is no great thing if his servants make themselves seem to be servants of righteousness; whose end will be the reward of their works.

^{16 Ref} I say again, Let me not seem foolish to anyone; but if I do, put up with me as such, so that I may take a little glory to myself.

^{17 Ref} What I am now saying is not by the order of the Lord, but as a foolish person, taking credit to myself, as it seems.

^{18 Ref} Seeing that there are those who take credit to themselves after the flesh, I will do the same.

^{19 Ref} For you put up with the foolish gladly, being wise yourselves.

^{20 Ref} You put up with a man if he makes servants of you, if he makes profit out of you, if he makes you prisoners, if he puts himself in a high place, if he gives you blows on the face.

^{21 Ref} I say this by way of shaming ourselves, as if we had been feeble. But if anyone puts himself forward (I am talking like a foolish person), I will do the same.

^{22 Ref} Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they of Israel? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.

^{23 Ref} Are they servants of Christ? (I am talking foolishly) I am more so; I have had more experience of hard work, of prisons, of blows more than measure, of death.

^{24 Ref} Five times the Jews gave me forty blows but one.

^{25 Ref} Three times I was whipped with rods, once I was stoned, three times the ship I was in came to destruction at sea, a night and a day I have been in the water;

^{26 Ref} In frequent travels, in dangers on rivers, in dangers from outlaws, in dangers from my countrymen, in dangers from the Gentiles, in dangers in the town, in dangers in the waste land, in dangers at sea, in dangers among false brothers;

^{27 Ref} In hard work and weariness, in frequent watchings, going without food and drink, cold and in need of clothing.

^{28 Ref} In addition to all the other things, there is that which comes on me every day, the care of all the churches.

^{29 Ref} Who is feeble and I am not feeble? who is in danger of falling, and I am not angry?

^{30 Ref} If I have to take credit to myself, I will do so in the things in which I am feeble.

^{31 Ref} The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be praise for ever, is witness that the things which I say are true.

^{32 Ref} In Damascus, the ruler under Aretas the king kept watch over the town of the people of Damascus, in order to take me:

^{33 Ref} And being let down in a basket from the wall through a window, I got free from his hands.

^{1 Ref} O that ye were bearing with me a little of the folly, but ye also do bear with me:

^{2 Ref} for I am zealous for you with zeal of God, for I did betroth you to one husband, a pure virgin, to present to Christ,

^{3 Ref} and I fear, lest, as the serpent did beguile Eve in his subtilty, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that `is' in the Christ;

^{4 Ref} for if, indeed, he who is coming doth preach another Jesus whom we did not preach, or another Spirit ye receive which ye did not receive, or other good news which ye did not accept -- well were ye bearing `it',

^{5 Ref} for I reckon that I have been nothing behind the very chiefest apostles,

^{6 Ref} and even if unlearned in word -- yet not in knowledge, but in every thing we were made manifest in all things to you.

^{7 Ref} The sin did I do -- myself humbling that ye might be exalted, because freely the good news of God I did proclaim to you?

^{8 Ref} other assemblies I did rob, having taken wages, for your ministration;

^{9 Ref} and being present with you, and having been in want, I was chargeable to no one, for my lack did the brethren supply -- having come from Macedonia -- and in everything burdenless to you I did keep myself, and will keep.

^{10 Ref} The truth of Christ is in me, because this boasting shall not be stopped in regard to me in the regions of Achaia;

^{11 Ref} wherefore? because I do not love you? God hath known!

^{12 Ref} and what I do, I also will do, that I may cut off the occasion of those wishing an occasion, that in that which they boast they may be found according as we also;

^{13 Ref} for those such `are' false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ,

^{14 Ref} and no wonder -- for even the Adversary doth transform himself into a messenger of light;

^{15 Ref} no great thing, then, if also his ministrants do transform themselves as ministrants of righteousness -- whose end shall be according to their works.

^{16 Ref} Again I say, may no one think me to be a fool; and if otherwise, even as a fool receive me, that I also a little may boast.

^{17 Ref} That which I speak, I speak not according to the Lord, but as in foolishness, in this the confidence of boasting;

^{18 Ref} since many boast according to the flesh, I also will boast:

^{19 Ref} for gladly do ye bear with the fools -- being wise,

^{20 Ref} for ye bear, if any one is bringing you under bondage, if any one doth devour, if any one doth take away, if any one doth exalt himself, if any one on the face doth smite you;

^{21 Ref} in reference to dishonour I speak, how that we were weak, and in whatever any one is bold -- in foolishness I say `it' -- I also am bold.

^{22 Ref} Hebrews are they? I also! Israelites are they? I also! seed of Abraham are they? I also!

^{23 Ref} ministrants of Christ are they? -- as beside myself I speak -- I more; in labours more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths many times;

^{24 Ref} from Jews five times forty `stripes' save one I did receive;

^{25 Ref} thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice was I shipwrecked, a night and a day in the deep I have passed;

^{26 Ref} journeyings many times, perils of rivers, perils of robbers, perils from kindred, perils from nations, perils in city, perils in wilderness, perils in sea, perils among false brethren;

^{27 Ref} in laboriousness and painfulness, in watchings many times, in hunger and thirst, in fastings many times, in cold and nakedness;

^{28 Ref} apart from the things without -- the crowding upon me that is daily -- the care of all the assemblies.

^{29 Ref} Who is infirm, and I am not infirm? who is stumbled, and I am not fired;

^{30 Ref} if to boast it behoveth `me', of the things of my infirmity I will boast;

^{31 Ref} the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ -- who is blessed to the ages -- hath known that I do not lie! --

^{32 Ref} In Damascus the ethnarch of Aretas the king was watching the city of the Damascenes, wishing to seize me,

^{33 Ref} and through a window in a rope basket I was let down, through the wall, and fled out of his hands.

^{1 Ref} Would that ye could bear with me in a little foolishness: but indeed ye do bear with me.

^{2 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} For I reckon that I am not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.

^{6 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} I robbed other churches, taking wages `of them' that I might minister unto you;

^{9 Ref} 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 Ref} As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this glorying in the regions of Achaia.

^{11 Ref} Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth.

^{12 Ref} 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 Ref} For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, fashioning themselves into apostles of Christ.

^{14 Ref} And no marvel; for even Satan fashioneth himself into an angel of light.

^{15 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} That which I speak, I speak not after the Lord, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of glorying.

^{18 Ref} Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also.

^{19 Ref} For ye bear with the foolish gladly, being wise `yourselves'.

^{20 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.

^{23 Ref} 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 Ref} Of the Jews five times received I forty `stripes' save one.

^{25 Ref} 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 Ref} `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 Ref} `in' labor and travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

^{28 Ref} Besides those things that are without, there is that which presseth upon me daily, anxiety for all the churches.

^{29 Ref} Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is caused to stumble, and I burn not?

^{30 Ref} If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things that concern my weakness.

^{31 Ref} The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed for evermore knoweth that I lie not.

^{32 Ref} In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king guarded the city of the Damascenes in order to take me:

^{33 Ref} and through a window was I let down in a basket by the wall, and escaped his hands.