Guarding the Bride of Christ
Rival teachers, whom Paul calls false apostles, have won the Corinthians while charging fees and treating them roughly. Playing the fool, he lists his own record: floggings, shipwrecks, hunger, constant danger, and daily anxiety for the churches. If he must boast, he boasts of his weakness.
11 1I wish you'd tolerate a little foolishness from me—and you do tolerate me. 2I am jealous for you with our Father's jealousy, having betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. 3But I fear that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your minds may be corrupted from sincere, pure devotion to Christ. 4If someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than we proclaimed, or you receive a different spirit than you received, or a different gospel than you accepted, you tolerate it well enough. 5Yet I consider that I am not in the least inferior to those "super-apostles." 6Even if unskilled in speech, I'm not unskilled in knowledge; we've made this clear to you in every way, in everything.
7Or did I sin by humbling myself so you'd be lifted up, since I preached our Father's gospel to you free of charge? 8I robbed other churches by accepting support from them in order to serve you. 9When I was with you and in need, I burdened no one—brothers from Macedonia supplied what I lacked. I kept myself from burdening you in any way, and will keep doing so. 10Since Christ's truth is in me, this boast won't be silenced in Achaia's regions. 11Why? Because I do not love you? Our Father knows that I do!
12And what I am doing I will keep on doing, in order to cut off the opportunity of those who want an opportunity to be regarded as our equals in the things they boast about. 13For these people are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15So it's no surprise his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will be according to their deeds.
A Fool's Boast of Suffering
16Again I say, let no one think me foolish. But if you do, accept me as foolish, so I too may boast a little. 17What I say in this confident boasting, I say not as the Lord would, but as a fool. 18Since many boast by human standards, I too will boast. 19For you gladly put up with fools, since you are so wise! 20You tolerate it if someone enslaves you, if someone devours you, if someone takes advantage of you, if someone acts superior, if someone slaps your face. 21I say this to my shame: we were too weak for that. But whatever anyone dares to boast of—I speak foolishly—I dare too. 22Are they Hebrews? So am I. Israelites? So am I. Descendants of Abraham? So am I. 23Servants of Christ? I speak as a madman—I am more so: with far more labors, more imprisonments, beatings beyond measure, and often near death. 24Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. a a v24 Jewish law allowed up to forty lashes; thirty-nine were given to avoid accidentally exceeding the legal limit. 25Three times beaten with rods, once stoned, three times shipwrecked; a night and day I spent in the deep. 26Always traveling: in danger from rivers, in danger from robbers, in danger from my own people, in danger from Gentiles, in danger in the city, in danger in the wilderness, in danger at sea, in danger among false brothers; 27in toil and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.
28Besides all else, daily pressure weighs on me: anxiety for all the churches. 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 of the things that show my weakness. 31Our Father, the Father of our Lord Jesus and blessed forever, knows I'm not lying. 32In Damascus, Aretas the king's governor guarded the city to seize me, 33but through a window in the wall I was lowered in a basket, and escaped his hands.
