THE SECOND EPISTLE
OF
PAUL THE APOSTLE
TO THE
CORINTHIANS
2 Corinthians 11 ©
1 The apostle testifies his zeal for the Corinthians, to keep them to the simplicity which is in Christ. 3 And exhorts them that they suffer not themselves to be deceived from it, as Eve was deceived by the serpent. 4 Forasmuch not only no false apostles, but even no other apostle of Christ, could contribute anything to them which they had not received by him. 6 For that he had not boasted among them as these, but carried himself humbly, and not so much as received maintenance, as he had indeed done of other churches. 11 And this was not done because he did not love them. 12 But to deprive the false apostles of their boasting, who changed themselves into angels of light. 16 And although it be not wisely done to boast much. 18 Yet nevertheless he shows that none of these can boast of anything of which he cannot boast also. 23 Yea that in suffering and laboring for the things of Christ, he went beyond them all. 28 Besides the care that he had for all the congregations. 32 And the troubles which in the beginning of his ministry he had endured at Damascus, where he escaped in a basket over the walls of the city.
WOULD to God ye could bear with me a little 1in my folly: and 2indeed bear with me.
For I am 3jealous over you with 4godly jealousy: for I have 5espoused you to one husband, that I may present youa as a chaste virgin to Christ.
But I fear, lest by any means, asb6the serpent beguiled Eve 7through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted 8from the simplicity that is in Christ.
Forc if he 9that cometh preacheth 10another 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 11well bear with him.
For I suppose I was not a whitd behind 12the very chiefest apostles.
But though I be 13rudee in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made manifest 14among you in all things.
Have I committed an offence in 15abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have 16preached to you the gospel of God freelyf?
I 17robbed other churches, taking wages of them, 18to do you service.
And when I was present with you, and wanted, Ig was 19chargeable to no man: forh that which was lacking to me 20the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, 21and so will I keep myself.
As 22the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall 23stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.
Wherefore? because I 24love you not? 25God knoweth.
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 26even as we.
For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves 27into the apostles of Christ.
And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed 28into an angel of light.
Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose 29end shall be according to their works.
I say again, Let no man think me a 30fool; 31if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little.
That which I speak, I speak it 32not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in 33this confidence of boasting.
Seeingi that many glory 34after the flesh, I will glory also.
For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves 35are wise.
For ye suffer, 36if 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 37on the face.
I speak as 38concerning reproach, 39as though we had been weak. Howbeitj whereinsoever any is 40bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold also.
Are they Hebrews? sokam I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.
Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) 41Ilam more; inm labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, 42in deaths oft.
Of the Jews five times received I 43fortynstripes save one.
Thriceo was I beaten 44with rods, oncep was I stoned, thriceq I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of 45robbers, in perils 46by mine own countrymen, in perils 47by the heathen, in perils 48in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
In weariness and painfulness,r in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
Beside those things 49that are without, that which cometh 50upon me daily, thes care of all the churches.
Whot51is weak, and I am not 52weak? who is offended, and I 53burn not?
If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern 54mine infirmities.
Theu God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, 55knoweth that I lie not.
In Damascus 56the governor underv Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me:
And through a window in a basket was I let down 57by the wall, and escaped his hands.