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2 Corinthians 11 :: New American Standard Bible 2020 (NASB20)

Paul Defends His Apostleship

2Co 11:1

I wish that you would bear with me in a little foolishness; but [fn]indeed you are bearing with me.

2Co 11:2For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.
2Co 11:3But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his trickery, your minds will be led astray from sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
2Co 11:4For if [fn]one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, this you tolerate very well!
2Co 11:5For I consider myself not in the least inferior to the [fn]most eminent apostles.
2Co 11:6But even if I am unskilled in speech, yet I am not so in knowledge; in fact, in every way we have made this evident to you in all things.
2Co 11:7

Or did I commit a sin by humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you without charge?

2Co 11:8I robbed other churches by taking wages from them to serve you;
2Co 11:9and when I was present with you and was in need, I was not a burden to anyone; for when the brothers came from Macedonia they fully supplied my need, and in everything I kept myself from being a burden to you, [fn]and will continue to do so.
2Co 11:10As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of Achaia.
2Co 11:11Why? Because I do not love you? God knows that I do!
2Co 11:12

But what I am doing I will also continue to do, so that I may eliminate the opportunity from those who want an opportunity to be [fn]regarded just as we are in the matter about which they are boasting.

2Co 11:13For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.
2Co 11:14No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
2Co 11:15Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.
2Co 11:16

Again I say, let no one think me foolish; but if you do, receive me even as foolish, so that I also may boast a little.

2Co 11:17What I am saying, I am not saying [fn]as the Lord would, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of boasting.
2Co 11:18Since many boast according to the flesh, I will boast also.
2Co 11:19For you, being so wise, tolerate the foolish gladly.
2Co 11:20For you tolerate it if anyone enslaves you, if anyone devours you, if anyone takes advantage of you, if anyone exalts himself, if anyone hits you in the face.
2Co 11:21To my shame I must say that we have been weak by comparison.

But in whatever respect anyone else is bold—I am speaking in foolishness—I too am bold.

2Co 11:22Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they [fn]descendants of Abraham? So am I.
2Co 11:23Are they servants of Christ?—I am speaking as if insane—I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, [fn]beaten times without number, often in danger of death.
2Co 11:24Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes.
2Co 11:25Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent adrift at sea.
2Co 11:26I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, dangers among false brothers;
2Co 11:27I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and [fn]exposure.
2Co 11:28Apart from such [fn]external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches.
2Co 11:29Who is weak without my being weak? Who is [fn]led into sin [fn]without my intense concern?
2Co 11:30

If I have to boast, I will boast of what pertains to my weakness.

2Co 11:31The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, He who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.
2Co 11:32In Damascus the ethnarch under Aretas the king was guarding the city of the Damascenes in order to seize me,
2Co 11:33and I was let down in a basket through a window [fn]in the wall, and so escaped his hands.
NASB20 Footnotes
Or do indeed bear with me
Lit the one who comes preaches
Or super-apostles
Lit and I will keep
Lit found
Lit in accordance with the Lord
Lit seed
Lit exceedingly in blows
Lit nakedness; i.e., lack of clothing
Or the things unmentioned
Lit made to stumble
Lit and I do not burn
Lit through
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2 Corinthians Chapter 11 — Additional Translations: