2 Corinthians 11:16-33
Read 2 Corinthians 11 in full →16aAgain 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. 17What I am saying, I am not saying 1,aaccording to the Lord, but as bin foolishness, in this confidence of boasting. 18Since amany boast baccording to the flesh, I will boast also. 19For you, abeing so wise, are bearing the foolish gladly. 20For you bear it if anyone aenslaves you, anyone bdevours you, anyone ctakes advantage of you, anyone dexalts himself, anyone ehits you in the face. 21To my ashame I must say that we have been bweak by comparison. But in whatever respect anyone else cis daring—I dspeak in foolishness—I am just as daring myself. 22Are they aHebrews? bSo am I. Are they cIsraelites? dSo am I. Are they Abraham’s eseed? fSo am I. 23Are they aministers of Christ?—I speak as if insane—I more so; in 1,bfar more labors, in 2,cfar more imprisonments, in dbeatings without number, in frequent edanger of death. 24Five times I received from the Jews aforty lashes less one. 25Three times I was abeaten with rods, once I was bstoned, three times I was shipwrecked—a night and a day I have spent in the deep. 26I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my acountrymen, dangers from the bGentiles, dangers in the ccity, dangers in the desolate places, dangers on the sea, dangers among dfalse brothers. 27I have been in alabor and hardship, in many sleepless nights, in bstarvation and thirst, often chungry, in cold and 1,dwithout enough clothing. 28Apart from such 1external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for aall the churches. 29Who is aweak without my being weak? Who is made to stumble 1without my burning concern?
30If I have to boast, I will boast of what pertains to my aweakness. 31The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, aHe who is blessed forever, bknows that I am not lying. 32In aDamascus the ethnarch under Aretas the king was bguarding the city of the Damascenes in order to seize me, 33and I was let down in a basket athrough a window 1in the wall, and so escaped his hands.
