1
Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: andindeedbear with me.
2For I am jealous over you with godlyjealousy: for I have espousedyou to onehusband, that I may presentyou as a chastevirgin to Christ.
3But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpentbeguiledEvethroughhissubtilty, soyourminds should be corruptedfrom the simplicity that is inChrist.
4Forif he that comethpreachethanotherJesus, whom we havenotpreached, orif ye receiveanotherspirit, which ye havenotreceived, oranothergospel, which ye havenotaccepted, ye mightwell bear with him.
5For I suppose I was not a whitbehind the verychiefestapostles.
6Butthough I be rudeinspeech, yetnotinknowledge; but we have been throughly made manifestamongyouin all things.
7
Have I committed an offence in abasingmyselfthatye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of Godfreely?
8
I robbedotherchurches, takingwages of them, todoyouservice.
9And when I waspresentwithyou, andwanted, I waschargeable to no man: for that which waslacking to me the brethren which camefromMacedoniasupplied: andinall things I have keptmyselffrom being burdensome unto you, and so will I keepmyself.
10
As the truth of Christisinme, no man shall stopme of thisboastingin the regions of Achaia.
11Wherefore?because I loveyounot?Godknoweth.
12Butwhat I do, that I will do, that I may cut offoccasion from them which desireoccasion; thatwherein they glory, they may be foundevenaswe.
13Forsuch are false apostles, deceitfulworkers, transforming themselvesinto the apostles of Christ.
14Andnomarvel; forSatanhimself is transformedinto an angel of light.
15Therefore it is no great thingifhisministersalsobetransformedas the ministers of righteousness; whoseend shall beaccording to theirworks.
16Isayagain, Letnomanthinkmeafool; if otherwise, yetasafoolreceiveme, thatI may boast myselfalittle.
17
That which I speak, I speak it notafter the Lord, butas it were foolishly, inthisconfidence of boasting.
18
Seeing thatmanygloryafter the flesh, I will gloryalso.
19For ye sufferfoolsgladly, seeing ye yourselves arewise.
20For ye suffer, if a manbringyou into bondage, if a mandevouryou, if a mantake of you, if a man exalt himself, if a mansmiteyouon the face.
21
I speakasconcerningreproach, asthoughwe had been weak. Howbeitwhereinsoeverany is bold,(I speakfoolishly,) I am boldalso.
22
Are theyHebrews? so am I. Are theyIsraelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.
23
Are theyministers of Christ?(Ispeak as a fool) I am more; inlaboursmoreabundant, instripes above measure, inprisonsmorefrequent, indeathsoft.
24Of the Jews five times received Iforty stripes saveone.
25Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have beenin the deep;
26Injourneyingsoften, inperils of waters, inperils of robbers, inperilsby mine own countrymen, inperilsby the heathen, inperilsin the city, inperilsin the wilderness, inperilsin the sea, inperilsamong false brethren;