New King James Version

Christian Standard Bible

1Oh, that you would bear with me in a little folly—and indeed you do bear with me.

1I wish you would put up with a little foolishness from me. Yes, do put up with me!

2For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

2For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy, because I have promised you in marriage to one husband--to present a pure virgin to Christ.

3But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

3But I fear that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your minds may be seduced from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

4For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!

4For if a person comes and preaches another Jesus, whom we did not preach, or you receive a different spirit, which you had not received, or a different gospel, which you had not accepted, you put up with it splendidly!

5For I consider that I am not at all inferior to the most eminent apostles.

5Now I consider myself in no way inferior to those "super-apostles."

6Even though I am untrained in speech, yet I am not in knowledge. But we have been thoroughly manifested among you in all things.

6Even if I am untrained in public speaking, I am certainly not untrained in knowledge. Indeed, we have in every way made that clear to you in everything.

7Did I commit sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge?

7Or did I commit a sin by humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge?

8I robbed other churches, taking wages from them to minister to you.

8I robbed other churches by taking pay from them to minister to you.

9And when I was present with you, and in need, I was a burden to no one, for what I lacked the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied. And in everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so I will keep myself.

9When I was present with you and in need, I did not burden anyone, since the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my needs. I have kept myself, and will keep myself, from burdening you in any way.

10As the truth of Christ is in me, no one shall stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia.

10As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of Achaia.

11Why? Because I do not love you? God knows!

11Why? Because I don't love you? God knows I do!

12But what I do, I will also continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast.

12But I will continue to do what I am doing, in order to deny an opportunity to those who want to be regarded as our equals in what they boast about.

13For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.

13For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.

14And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.

14And no wonder! For Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

15Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

15So it is no great surprise if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will be according to their works.

16I say again, let no one think me a fool. If otherwise, at least receive me as a fool, that I also may boast a little.

16I repeat: Let no one consider me a fool. But if you do, at least accept me as a fool so that I can also boast a little.

17What I speak, I speak not according to the Lord, but as it were, foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.

17What I am saying in this matter of boasting, I don't speak as the Lord would, but as it were, foolishly.

18Seeing that many boast according to the flesh, I also will boast.

18Since many boast according to the flesh, I will also boast.

19For you put up with fools gladly, since you yourselves are wise!

19For you, being so wise, gladly put up with fools!

20For you put up with it if one brings you into bondage, if one devours you, if one takes from you, if one exalts himself, if one strikes you on the face.

20In fact, you put up with it if someone enslaves you, if someone exploits you, if someone takes advantage of you, if someone is arrogant toward you, if someone slaps you in the face.

21To our shame I say that we were too weak for that! But in whatever anyone is bold—I speak foolishly—I am bold also.

21I say this to our shame: We have been too weak for that! But in whatever anyone dares to boast--I am talking foolishly--I also dare:

22Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I.

22Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the descendants of Abraham? So am I.

23Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often.

23Are they servants of Christ? I'm talking like a madman--I'm a better one: with far more labors, many more imprisonments, far worse beatings, many times near death.

24From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one.

24Five times I received the forty lashes minus one from the Jews.

25Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep;

25Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I received a stoning. Three times I was shipwrecked. I have spent a night and a day in the open sea.

26in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;

26On frequent journeys, I faced dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own people, dangers from Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, and dangers among false brothers;

27in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness—

27toil and hardship, many sleepless nights, hunger and thirst, often without food, cold, and without clothing.

28besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.

28Not to mention other things, there is the daily pressure on me: my concern for all the churches.

29Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?

29Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?

30If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity.

30If boasting is necessary, I will boast about my weaknesses.

31The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.

31The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is blessed forever, knows I am not lying.

32In Damascus the governor, under Aretas the king, was guarding the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desiring to arrest me;

32In Damascus, a ruler under King Aretas guarded the city of Damascus in order to arrest me.

33but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped from his hands.

33So I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped from his hands.

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.