1Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly : and indeed bear 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 . 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 . 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 .
The Superiority of Paul's Apostolic Credentials
5For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles . 6But though I be rude in speech , yet not in knowledge ; but we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things . 7Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted , because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely ? 8I robbed other churches , taking wages of them , to do you service . 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 . 10As the truth of Christ is in me , no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia . 11Wherefore ? because I love you not ? God knoweth . 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 . 13For such are false apostles , deceitful workers , transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ . 14And no marvel ; for Satan himself is transformed into 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 .
Paul's Boasting in Weakness
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 . 17That which I speak , I speak it not after the Lord , but as it were foolishly , in this confidence of boasting . 18Seeing that many glory after the flesh , I will glory also . 19For ye suffer fools gladly , seeing ye yourselves are wise . 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 . 21I speak as concerning reproach , as though we had been weak . Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold , (I speak foolishly ,) I am bold also . 22Are they Hebrews ? so am I . Are they Israelites ? so am I . Are they the seed of Abraham ? 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 . 24Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one . 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 ; 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 ; 27In weariness and painfulness , in watchings often , in hunger and thirst , in fastings often , in cold and nakedness . 28Beside those things that are without , that which cometh upon me daily , the care of all the churches . 29Who is weak , and I am not weak ? who is offended , and I burn not ? 30If I must needs glory , I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities . 31The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ , which is blessed for evermore , knoweth that I lie not . 32In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison , desirous to apprehend me : 33And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall , and escaped his hands .