2 Corinthians 11

Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me.

1I wish you would put up with me while I talk a little foolishly. Please, put up with me.

2For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

2I want you to belong only to Christ. That is a good kind of caring. I promised you to one husband, Christ. I want to bring you to him pure, like a bride.

3But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

3But I am afraid for you. Long ago the snake tricked Eve with clever words. I am afraid someone will trick you the same way. Then your simple, true love for Christ would be spoiled.

4For if he that cometh preacheth another 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 well bear with him.

4Someone may come and tell you about a different Jesus. That is not the Jesus we told you about. He may offer you a different spirit or different good news. And you put up with it far too easily.

5For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.

5I do not think I am one bit less than those men people call the greatest apostles. An apostle is someone Jesus sent out to teach about him.

6But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things.

6I may not be a fancy speaker. But I do know what I am talking about. We have shown you that clearly in every way.

7Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?

7I made myself small so that you could be lifted up. I told you God's good news and never asked you for money. Was that wrong of me?

8I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service.

8I took money from other churches so that I could help you. You could almost say I robbed them.

NoteThe KJV says Paul "robbed" other churches. He did not really steal. He used a strong word on purpose. Other churches paid him so he could work for free in Corinth.

9And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself.

9When I was with you and needed things, I did not ask you for help. Friends came from Macedonia and brought what I needed. I have never been a load for you to carry. And I never will be.

10As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.

10Christ's truth is in me, so what I say is true. No one in all of Achaia will stop me from saying this proudly.

11Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth.

11Why do I talk this way? Is it because I do not love you? God knows that I do.

12But 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 even as we.

12I will keep doing exactly what I am doing. Some men want a chance to say they are just like me. I am taking that chance away from them.

13For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.

13Those men are not real apostles. They lie about their work. They dress themselves up to look like apostles of Christ.

14And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

14That is no surprise. Even Satan dresses himself up to look like an angel of light.

15Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

15So it is no big thing if his helpers do the same. They pretend to be good and right. In the end they will get what their actions deserve.

16I say again, Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little.

16I will say it again. Do not think I am a fool. But if you do, then let this fool brag a little.

17That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.

17When I brag like this, I am not talking the way the Lord would. I am talking like a fool.

18Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also.

18Many people brag about who they are. So I will brag too.

19For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise.

19You are so wise! That is why you gladly put up with fools.

NoteIn old English, "suffer" meant "put up with," not "hurt." It means the same in verses 20 and 21.

20For ye suffer, if 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 on the face.

20You put up with a man who makes you his slave. You put up with one who eats up all you have. You let a man take from you and act big. You even let him hit you in the face.

21I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak. Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold also.

21I am ashamed to say we were too weak to treat you that way. But I can brag about anything others dare to brag about. I know that sounds foolish.

22Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.

22Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they part of Abraham's family? So am I.

23Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.

23Are they servants of Christ? I sound crazy saying this, but I have served more. I have worked harder. I have been whipped more. I have been in jail more often. I have nearly died many times.

24Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.

24Five times Jewish leaders had me whipped. Each time I got thirty-nine lashes.

NoteThe KJV says "forty stripes save one." That means forty lashes minus one, so thirty-nine. It was a set punishment given with a whip.

25Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;

25Three times I was beaten with sticks. Once people threw stones at me. Three times my ship broke apart at sea. I spent a whole day and night out in the water.

26In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;

26I have traveled again and again. Rivers were dangerous. Robbers were dangerous. My own people were dangerous, and so were other people. Cities, empty lands, and the sea were dangerous. Even people who pretended to be friends were dangerous.

27In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

27I have worked hard until I was worn out. Many nights I got no sleep. I have been hungry and thirsty. I have gone without food. I have been cold without enough clothes.

28Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

28Besides all those troubles, one more thing weighs on me every day. I worry about all the churches.

29Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?

29When someone is weak, I feel weak too. When someone is led into sin, I hurt inside.

30If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.

30If I must brag, I will brag about the things that show I am weak.

31The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.

31God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, knows I am not lying. We praise him forever.

32In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me:

32In the city of Damascus, the ruler worked for King Aretas. He put guards all around the city to catch me.

33And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.

33But friends put me in a basket. They let me down through a window in the city wall. That is how I got away.