1 

Now I Paul, myself, entreat you by the humility and gentleness of Christ; I who in your presence am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you.

2 

Yes, I beg you that I may not, when present, show courage with the confidence with which I intend to be bold against some, who consider us to be walking according to the flesh.

3 

For though we walk in the flesh, we don't wage war according to the flesh;

4 

for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the throwing down of strongholds,

5 

throwing down imaginations and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ;

6 

and being in readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience will be made full.

7 

Do you look at things only as they appear in front of your face? If anyone trusts in himself that he is Christ's, let him consider this again with himself, that, even as he is Christ's, so also we are Christ's.

8 

For though I should boast somewhat abundantly concerning our authority, (which the Lord gave for building you up, and not for casting you down) I will not be disappointed,

9 

that I may not seem as if I desire to terrify you by my letters.

10 

For, "His letters", they say, "are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech is despised."

11 

Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when we are absent, such are we also in deed when we are present.

12 

For we are not bold to number or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves. But they themselves, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are without understanding.

13 

But we will not boast beyond proper limits, but within the boundaries with which God appointed to us, which reach even to you.

14 

For we don't stretch ourselves too much, as though we didn't reach to you. For we came even as far as to you with the Good News of Christ,

15 

not boasting beyond proper limits in other men's labors, but having hope that as your faith grows, we will be abundantly enlarged by you in our sphere of influence,

16 

so as to preach the Good News even to the parts beyond you, not to boast in what someone else has already done.

17 

But "he who boasts, let him boast in the Lord."Jeremiah 9:24

18 

For it isn't he who commends himself who is approved, but whom the Lord commends.

1 

I wish that you would bear with me in a little foolishness, but indeed you do bear with me.

2 

For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy. For I married you to one husband, that I might present you as a pure virgin to Christ.

3 

But I am afraid that somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve in his craftiness, so your minds might be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

4 

For if he who comes preaches another Jesus, whom we did not preach, or if you receive a different spirit, which you did not receive, or a different "good news", which you did not accept, you put up with that well enough.

5 

For I reckon that I am not at all behind the very best apostles.

6 

But though I am unskilled in speech, yet I am not unskilled in knowledge. No, in every way we have been revealed to you in all things.

7 

Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached to you God's Good News free of charge?

8 

I robbed other assemblies, taking wages from them that I might serve you.

9 

When I was present with you and was in need, I wasn't a burden on anyone, for the brothers, when they came from Macedonia, supplied the measure of my need. In everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and I will continue to do so.

10 

As the truth of Christ is in me, no one will stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia.

11 

Why? Because I don't love you? God knows.

12 

But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them that desire an occasion, that in which they boast, they may be found even as we.

13 

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as Christ's apostles.

14 

And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.

15 

It is no great thing therefore if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

16 

I say again, let no one think me foolish. But if so, yet receive me as foolish, that I also may boast a little.

17 

That which I speak, I don't speak according to the Lord, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of boasting.

18 

Seeing that many boast after the flesh, I will also boast.

19 

For you bear with the foolish gladly, being wise.

20 

For you bear with a man, if he brings you into bondage, if he devours you, if he takes you captive, if he exalts himself, if he strikes you on the face.

21 

I speak by way of disparagement, as though we had been weak. Yet in whatever way anyone is bold (I speak in foolishness), I am bold also.

22 

Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the offspring of Abraham? So am I.

23 

Are they servants of Christ? (I speak as one beside himself) I am more so; in labors more abundantly, in prisons more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in deaths often.

24 

Five times from the Jews I received forty stripes minus one.

25 

Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I suffered shipwreck. I have been a night and a day in the deep.

26 

I have been in travels often, perils of rivers, perils of robbers, perils from my countrymen, perils from the Gentiles, perils in the city, perils in the wilderness, perils in the sea, perils among false brothers;

27 

in labor and travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, and in cold and nakedness.

28 

Besides those things that are outside, there is that which presses on me daily, anxiety for all the assemblies.

29 

Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is caused to stumble, and I don't burn with indignation?

30 

If I must boast, I will boast of the things that concern my weakness.

31 

The God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, he who is blessed forever more, knows that I don't lie.

32 

In Damascus the governor under King Aretas guarded the city of the Damascenes desiring to arrest me.

33 

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

1 

It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. For I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

2 

I know a man in Christ, fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I don't know, or whether out of the body, I don't know; God knows), such a one caught up into the third heaven.

3 

I know such a man (whether in the body, or outside of the body, I don't know; God knows),

4 

how he was caught up into Paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

5 

On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in my weaknesses.

6 

For if I would desire to boast, I will not be foolish; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, so that no man may think more of me than that which he sees in me, or hears from me.

7 

By reason of the exceeding greatness of the revelations, that I should not be exalted excessively, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, that I should not be exalted excessively.

8 

Concerning this thing, I begged the Lord three times that it might depart from me.

9 

He has said to me,"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me.

10 

Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong.

11 

I have become foolish in boasting. You compelled me, for I ought to have been commended by you, for in nothing was I inferior to the very best apostles, though I am nothing.

12 

Truly the signs of an apostle were worked among you in all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty works.

13 

For what is there in which you were made inferior to the rest of the assemblies, unless it is that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong.

14 

Behold, this is the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you; for I seek not your possessions, but you. For the children ought not to save up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

15 

I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more abundantly, am I loved the less?

16 

But be it so, I did not myself burden you. But, being crafty, I caught you with deception.

17 

Did I take advantage of you by anyone of them whom I have sent to you?

18 

I exhorted Titus, and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus take any advantage of you? Didn't we walk in the same spirit? Didn't we walk in the same steps?