I hope you will bear with a little of my foolishness , but ... (you are already doing that) ....
- I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. For I promised you to one husband , to present (you) (as) a pure virgin - to Christ.
I am afraid - , however , that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s - - cunning , your - minds may be led astray from (your) simple and - pure (devotion) - to - Christ.
For if - (someone) comes (and) proclaims (a) Jesus other (than the One) ... we proclaimed , or if you receive a different spirit (than the One) ... you received , or a different gospel (than the one) ... you accepted , you put up with it way too easily.
- I consider myself in no way inferior to those “ super-apostles .... ”
- Although ... (I am) not a polished - speaker , vvv I am certainly not lacking - in knowledge. - We have made this clear to you in every way possible ... ....
(Was it) a sin (for me) to humble myself in order to vvv exalt you , because I preached the gospel - of God to you free of charge ?
I robbed other churches by accepting (their) support in order - to serve you.
And when I was with you and in need , vvv I was not a burden (to anyone) ; for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my - needs. - I have refrained ... from being a burden to you in any way , and I will continue to do so.
(As surely as the) tRuth - of Christ is in me , - this - boasting of mine vvv will not be silenced in the regions - of Achaia.
Why ... ? Because vvv I do not love you ? - God knows (I do) !
But vvv I will keep on doing what I am doing , in order to undercut - - those who want an opportunity to be regarded as our equals ... ... in the things of which they boast.
For - such men (are) false apostles , deceitful workers , masquerading as apostles of Christ.
And no wonder , for - Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.
(It is) not surprising , then , if his - servants - masquerade as servants of righteousness. (Their) - end will correspond to ... their - actions.
vvv I repeat : {Let} no one take me for a fool. But if (you do) , (then) receive me - as a fool , so that I too may boast a little.
- - In this - confident - boasting (of mine) , vvv I am not speaking as (the) Lord {would} , but as - a fool.
Since many are boasting according to the flesh , I too will boast.
For you gladly tolerate ... - fools , since you are so wise.
In fact , you even put up with - anyone who enslaves you (or) ... exploits (you) (or) ... takes advantage (of you) (or) ... exalts himself (or) ... strikes you in the face.
To (my) shame I concede - that we were too weak (for that) ! Speaking vvv as a fool , however , I can (match) - what anyone else ... dares (to boast about).
Are they Hebrews - ? So am I. Are they Israelites ? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham ? So am I.
Are they servants of Christ ? I am speaking like I am out of my mind , (but) I am so much more : in harder labor , in more imprisonments , in worse beatings , in frequent danger of death.
Five times I received from (the) Jews (the) forty (lashes) minus one.
Three times I was beaten with rods , once I was stoned , three times I was shipwrecked. I spent a night and a day in the open (sea).
In my frequent journeys ... , (I have been) in danger from rivers (and) from bandits , in danger from (my) countrymen (and) from (the) Gentiles , in danger in (the) city (and) in (the) country , in danger on (the) sea (and) among false brothers ,
in labor and toil (and) often vvv without sleep , in hunger and thirst (and) often vvv without food , in cold and exposure.
Apart from these external (trials) , I (face) vvv vvv daily the pressure (of my) concern for all the churches.
Who is weak , and vvv I am not weak ? Who is led into sin , and I {do} not burn with grief ?
If I must boast , I will boast (of) the things (that show) my weakness.
The God and Father of the Lord Jesus , who is vvv vvv forever worthy of praise , knows that vvv I am not lying.
In Damascus , the governor under King Aretas secured the city of the Damascenes in order to arrest me.
But I was lowered in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his - grasp.