Study Desk

I wish that you would ^(C1)bear with me in a little ^(C2)foolishness; but ^(F1)indeed you are bearing with me.

For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I ^(C1)betrothed you to one husband, to ^(C2)present you as a pure virgin to Christ.

But I am afraid that, as the ^(C1)serpent deceived Eve by his trickery, your minds will be led astray from sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

For if ^(F1)one comes and preaches ^(C1)another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a ^(C2)different spirit which you have not received, or a ^(C3)different gospel which you have not accepted, this you ^(C4)tolerate ^(C5)very well!

For I consider myself ^(C1)not in the least inferior to the ^(F1)most eminent apostles.

But even if I am ^(C1)unskilled in speech, yet I am not so in ^(C2)knowledge; in fact, in every way we have ^(C3)made this evident to you in all things.

Or ^(C1)did I commit a sin by humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the ^(C2)gospel of God to you ^(C3)without charge?

I robbed other churches by ^(C1)taking wages from them to serve you;

and when I was present with you and was in need, I was ^(C1)not a burden to anyone; for when ^(C2)the brothers came from ^(C3)Macedonia they fully supplied my need, and in everything I kept myself from ^(C1)being a burden to you, ^(F1)and will continue to do so.

^(C1)As the truth of Christ is in me, ^(C2)this boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of ^(C3)Achaia.

Why? ^(C1)Because I do not love you? ^(C2)God knows that I do!

But what I am doing I will also continue to do, ^(C1)so that I may eliminate the opportunity from those who want an opportunity to be ^(F1)regarded just as we are in the matter about which they are boasting.

For such men are ^(C1)false apostles, ^(C2)deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.

No wonder, for even ^(C1)Satan disguises himself as an ^(C2)angel of light.

Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, ^(C1)whose end will be according to their deeds.

^(C1)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.

What I am saying, I am not saying ^(F1)(C1)as the Lord would, but as ^(C2)in foolishness, in this confidence of boasting.

Since ^(C1)many boast ^(C2)according to the flesh, I will boast also.

For you, ^(C1)being so wise, tolerate the foolish gladly.

For you tolerate it if anyone ^(C1)enslaves you, if anyone ^(C2)devours you, if anyone ^(C3)takes advantage of you, if anyone ^(C4)exalts himself, if anyone ^(C5)hits you in the face.

To my ^(C1)shame I must say that we have been ^(C2)weak by comparison. But in whatever respect anyone else ^(C3)is bold—I am ^(C4)speaking in foolishness—I too am bold.

Footnotes:  

Cross References:  (C1) - 2 Corinthians 6:8; (C2) - 2 Corinthians 10:10; (C3) - 2 Corinthians 10:2; (C4) - 2 Corinthians 11:17;

Are they ^(C1)Hebrews? ^(C2)So am I. Are they ^(C3)Israelites? ^(C3)So am I. Are they ^(F1)(C4)descendants of Abraham? ^(C5)So am I.

Are they ^(C1)servants of Christ?—I am speaking as if insane—I more so; in ^(C2)far more labors, in ^(C3)far more imprisonments, ^(F1)(C4)beaten times without number, often in danger of ^(C5)death.

Five times I received from the Jews ^(C1)thirty-nine lashes.

Three times I was ^(C1)beaten with rods, once I was ^(C2)stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent adrift at sea.

I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my ^(C1)countrymen, dangers from the ^(C2)Gentiles, dangers in the ^(C3)city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, dangers among ^(C4)false brothers;

I have been in ^(C1)labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in ^(C2)hunger and thirst, often ^(C3)without food, in cold and ^(F1)(C4)exposure.

Apart from such ^(F1)external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for ^(C1)all the churches.

Who is ^(C1)weak without my being weak? Who is ^(F1)led into sin ^(F2)without my intense concern?

If I have to boast, I will boast of what pertains to my ^(C1)weakness.

The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, ^(C1)He who is blessed forever, ^(C2)knows that I am not lying.

In ^(C1)Damascus the ethnarch under Aretas the king was ^(C2)guarding the city of the Damascenes in order to seize me,

and I was let down in a basket ^(C1)through a window ^(F1)in the wall, and so escaped his hands.