“1 Would to God ye could bear with me a little in [my] folly: and
indeed bear with me. 2 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 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 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 For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles. 6
But though [I be] rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been
throughly made manifest among you in all things. 7 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 robbed other churches,
taking wages [of them], to do you service. 9 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 As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall
stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia. 11 Wherefore? because
I love you not? God knoweth. 12 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 For such [are] false apostles,
deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of
light. 15 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 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 That which I
speak, I speak [it] not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in
this confidence of boasting. 18 Seeing that many glory after the flesh,
I will glory also. 19 For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye [yourselves]
are wise. 20 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 speak as concerning reproach, as though we
had been weak. Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I
am bold also.”
“22 Are they Hebrews? so [am] I. Are they Israelites? so [am] I. Are
they the seed of Abraham? so [am] I. 23 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 Of the Jews five
times received I forty [stripes] save one. 25 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 [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
In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst,
in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. 28 Beside those things that
are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the
churches. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn
not? 30 If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern
mine infirmities. 31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which
is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not. 32 In Damascus the
governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a
garrison, desirous to apprehend me: 33 And through a window in a basket
was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.” (2 Corinthians
11:1-33 AV)
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