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2 Corinthians 11
New Matthew Bible
2 Corinthians 11
New Matthew Bible
Paul (with reluctance) commends himself, and defends his authority against the false prophets.
11 I would you could suffer me a little in my foolishness, yea and I ask you to bear with me. 2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy. For I espoused you to one man, to present you a chaste virgin to Christ. 3 But I fear that, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds might be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4 For if he who comes preaches another Jesus than him whom we preached, or if you are given another spirit than that which you were given, or another gospel than that which you were given, you might right well be content.
5 I suppose that I was not behind the chief apostles. 6 Though I be poor in speaking, yet I am not so in knowledge. However, among you we are known to the utmost, who we are in all things. 7 Did I sin, because I humbled myself so that you could be exalted, and because I preached to you the gospel of God free? 8 I robbed other congregations, and took support from them in order to serve you. 9 And when I was present with you and had need, I was a burden to no one, for that which was lacking to me, the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied. And in all things I kept myself so that I would not be burdensome to you. And I will continue so to keep myself. 10 If the truth of Christ is in me, this claim will not be taken from me in the regions of Achaia. 11 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows. 12 Nevertheless, what I do, that I will continue to do, so as to cut away occasion from those who desire occasion to seem like us in the things that they claim.
13 For the false apostles are deceitful workers, and fashion themselves to be like the apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for Satan himself is changed into the fashion of an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers fashion themselves as though they were the ministers of righteousness – whose end shall be according to their deeds.
16 I say again, lest anyone think that I am foolish, or else even now take me as a fool if I boast a little, 17 that what I am saying I do not say after the ways of the Lord, but as it were foolishly, since we have now come to boasting. 18 Seeing that many boast after the flesh, I will boast also. 19 For you suffer fools gladly, because you yourselves are wise. 20 For you oblige even if a man brings you into bondage, if a man devours, if a man takes, if a man exalts himself, if a man strikes you on the face. 21 I speak by way of rebuke. As if we were weak!
However, in any point a man dares to presume (I speak foolishly), I dare to presume also: 22 they are Hebrews; so am I. They are Israelites; so am I. They are the seed of Abraham; so am I. 23 They are the ministers of Christ (I speak like a fool); I am more so: in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prison more frequently, in death often.
24 Five times from the Jews I received every time forty stripes less one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. I was once stoned. I suffered shipwreck three times. Night and day I have been in the deep of the sea, 26 often journeying, in danger in rivers, in danger from robbers, in danger from my own nation, in danger among the heathen. I have been in danger in cities, in danger in the countryside, in danger on the sea, in danger among false brethren, 27 in labour and travail, in sleepless nights often, in hunger, in thirst – going without food often, in cold and without clothing. 28 And besides the things that outwardly happen to me, I am daily concerned and do care for all the congregations. 29 Who is sick, and I am not sick? Who is hurt in the faith and my heart does not burn? 30 If I must boast, I will boast of my afflictions. 31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forevermore, knows that I do not speak untruly.
32 In the city of Damascus, the governor of the people under king Aretas laid watch in the city of the Damascenes, and would have captured me. 33 But at a window I was let down in a basket through the wall, and so escaped his hands.
2 Corinthians 11
New International Version
2 Corinthians 11
New International Version
Paul and the False Apostles
11 I hope you will put up with(A) me in a little foolishness.(B) Yes, please put up with me! 2 I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband,(C) to Christ, so that I might present you(D) as a pure virgin to him. 3 But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning,(E) your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached,(F) or if you receive a different spirit(G) from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel(H) from the one you accepted, you put up with it(I) easily enough.
5 I do not think I am in the least inferior to those “super-apostles.”[a](J) 6 I may indeed be untrained as a speaker,(K) but I do have knowledge.(L) We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way. 7 Was it a sin(M) for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God(N) to you free of charge?(O) 8 I robbed other churches by receiving support from them(P) so as to serve you. 9 And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed.(Q) I have kept myself from being a burden to you(R) in any way, and will continue to do so. 10 As surely as the truth of Christ is in me,(S) nobody in the regions of Achaia(T) will stop this boasting(U) of mine. 11 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows(V) I do!(W)
12 And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. 13 For such people are false apostles,(X) deceitful(Y) workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.(Z) 14 And no wonder, for Satan(AA) himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.(AB)
Paul Boasts About His Sufferings
16 I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool.(AC) But if you do, then tolerate me just as you would a fool, so that I may do a little boasting. 17 In this self-confident boasting I am not talking as the Lord would,(AD) but as a fool.(AE) 18 Since many are boasting in the way the world does,(AF) I too will boast.(AG) 19 You gladly put up with(AH) fools since you are so wise!(AI) 20 In fact, you even put up with(AJ) anyone who enslaves you(AK) or exploits you or takes advantage of you or puts on airs or slaps you in the face. 21 To my shame I admit that we were too weak(AL) for that!
Whatever anyone else dares to boast about—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast about.(AM) 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I.(AN) Are they Israelites? So am I.(AO) Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I.(AP) 23 Are they servants of Christ?(AQ) (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder,(AR) been in prison more frequently,(AS) been flogged more severely,(AT) and been exposed to death again and again.(AU) 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes(AV) minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods,(AW) once I was pelted with stones,(AX) three times I was shipwrecked,(AY) I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews,(AZ) in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city,(BA) in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers.(BB) 27 I have labored and toiled(BC) and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food;(BD) I have been cold and naked. 28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.(BE) 29 Who is weak, and I do not feel weak?(BF) Who is led into sin,(BG) and I do not inwardly burn?
30 If I must boast, I will boast(BH) of the things that show my weakness.(BI) 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever,(BJ) knows(BK) that I am not lying. 32 In Damascus the governor under King Aretas had the city of the Damascenes guarded in order to arrest me.(BL) 33 But I was lowered in a basket from a window in the wall and slipped through his hands.(BM)
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 11:5 Or to the most eminent apostles
New Matthew Bible (NMB)
Copyright © 2016 by Ruth Magnusson (Davis). Includes emendations to February 2022. All rights reserved.
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