Ojalá que me soportarais un poco de insensatez^a; y en verdad me soportáis¹. 2 Porque celoso estoy de vosotros con celo de Dios; pues os desposé a un esposo para presentaros^a como virgen pura a Cristo^b. 3 Pero temo que, así como la serpiente con su astucia engañó a Eva^a, vuestras mentes sean desviadas¹ de la sencillez y pureza de la devoción a Cristo. 4 Porque si alguien viene y predica a otro Jesús^a, a quien no hemos predicado, o recibís un espíritu diferente^b, que no habéis recibido, o aceptáis un evangelio distinto^c, que no habéis aceptado, bien^d lo toleráis^e. 5 Pues yo no me considero inferior en nada a los más eminentes apóstoles^1a. 6 Pero aunque yo sea torpe en el hablar^a, no lo soy en el conocimiento^b; de hecho, por todos los medios os lo hemos demostrado en todas las cosas^c. 7 ¿O cometí un pecado al humillarme a mí mismo para que vosotros fuerais exaltados, porque os prediqué¹ el evangelio de Dios^a gratuitamente^b? 8 A otras iglesias despojé¹, tomando salario de ellas^a para serviros a vosotros; 9 y cuando estaba con vosotros y tuve necesidad, a nadie fui carga; porque cuando los hermanos llegaron de Macedonia^a, suplieron plenamente mi necesidad, y en todo me guardé, y me guardaré, de seros carga^b. 10 Como la verdad de Cristo está en mí^a, este gloriarme no se me impedirá^b en las regiones de Acaya^c. 11 ¿Por qué? ¿Porque no os amo^a? ¡Dios lo sabe^b! 12 Pero lo que hago continuaré haciéndolo, a fin de privar de¹ oportunidad a aquellos que desean una oportunidad de ser considerados² iguales a nosotros en aquello en que se glorían^a. 13 Porque los tales son falsos apóstoles^a, obreros fraudulentos^b, que se disfrazan como apóstoles de Cristo. 14 Y no es de extrañar, pues aun Satanás^a se disfraza como ángel de luz^b. 15 Por tanto, no es de sorprender que sus servidores¹ también se disfracen como servidores² de justicia; cuyo fin será conforme a sus obras^a.

16 Otra vez digo: nadie me tenga por insensato; pero si vosotros lo hacéis, recibidme aunque sea como insensato^a, para que yo también me gloríe un poco. 17 Lo que digo, no lo digo como lo diría el Señor^1a, sino como en insensatez^b, en esta confianza de gloriarme. 18 Pues ya que muchos se glorían según la carne^a, yo también me gloriaré. 19 Porque vosotros, siendo tan sabios^a, con gusto toleráis a los insensatos. 20 Pues toleráis si alguno os esclaviza^a, si alguno os devora^b, si alguno se aprovecha de vosotros^c, si alguno se exalta a sí mismo^d, si alguno os golpea en el rostro^e. 21 Para vergüenza^a mía digo que en comparación nosotros hemos sido débiles. Pero en cualquier otra cosa que alguien más sea osado^b (hablo con insensatez^c), yo soy igualmente osado^d. 22 ¿Son ellos hebreos^a? Yo también^b. ¿Son israelitas? Yo también^c. ¿Son descendientes¹ de Abraham^d? Yo también^e. 23 ¿Son servidores de Cristo^a? (Hablo como si hubiera perdido el juicio.) Yo más. En muchos más¹ trabajos^b, en muchas más² cárceles^c, en azotes un sinnúmero de veces^3d, a menudo en peligros de muerte^e. 24 Cinco veces he recibido de los judíos treinta y nueve¹ azotes^a. 25 Tres veces he sido golpeado con varas^a, una vez fui apedreado^b, tres veces naufragué, y he pasado una noche y un día en lo profundo¹. 26 Con frecuencia en viajes, en peligros de ríos, peligros de salteadores, peligros de mis compatriotas^a, peligros de los gentiles^b, peligros en la ciudad^c, peligros en el desierto, peligros en el mar, peligros entre falsos hermanos^d; 27 en trabajos y fatigas, en muchas noches de desvelo^1a, en hambre y sed^b, a menudo sin comida^c, en frío y desnudez^d. 28 Además de tales cosas externas¹, está sobre mí la presión cotidiana de la preocupación por todas las iglesias^a. 29 ¿Quién es débil sin que yo sea débil^a? ¿A quién se le hace pecar sin que yo no me preocupe intensamente¹? 30 Si tengo que gloriarme, me gloriaré en cuanto a mi debilidad^a. 31 El Dios y Padre del Señor Jesús, el cual es bendito para siempre^a, sabe que no miento^b. 32 En Damasco^a, el gobernador¹ bajo el rey Aretas, vigilaba la ciudad de los damascenos con el fin de prenderme^b, 33 pero me bajaron en un cesto por una ventana en¹ la muralla^a, y así escapé de sus manos.

I wish you would ^abear with me while I indulge in a little ^bfoolishness; but indeed you are bearing with me as you read this. 2 I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy because I have ^apromised you to one husband, to ^bpresent you as a pure virgin to Christ. Hos 2:19, 20 3 But I am afraid that, even as the ^aserpent beguiled Eve by his cunning, your minds may be corrupted and led away from the simplicity of your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. Gen 3:4 4 For you seem willing to allow it if one comes and preaches ^aanother Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a ^bdifferent spirit from the one you received, or a ^cdifferent gospel from the one you accepted. You ^dtolerate all this ^ebeautifully welcoming the deception. 5 Yet I consider myself ^ain no way inferior to the so-called ¹super-apostles. 6 But even if I am ^aunskilled in speaking, yet I am not untrained in ^1bknowledge I know what I am talking about; but we have ^cmade this evident to you in every way, in all things.

7 Or ^adid I perhaps sin by humbling myself so that you might be exalted and honored, because I preached ^bGod’s gospel to you ^1cfree of charge? 8 I robbed other churches by ^aaccepting more than their share of financial support for my ministry to you. 9 And when I was with you and ran short financially, I did ^anot burden any of you; for what I needed was fully supplied by ^bthe brothers (Silas and Timothy) who came from ^cMacedonia (the church at Philippi) . So I kept myself from ^dbeing a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so. Phil 4:15, 16 10 ^aAs the truth of Christ is in me, ^bmy boast of independence will not be silenced in the regions of ^cAchaia (southern Greece) . 11 Why? ^aBecause I do not love you or wish you well, or have regard for your welfare? ^bGod knows that I do!

12 But what I am doing I will keep doing, for I am determined to keep this independence ^ain order to cut off the claim of those who want an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things they brag about. 13 For such men are ^acounterfeit apostles, ^bdeceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, since ^aSatan himself masquerades as an ^bangel of light. 15 So it is no great surprise if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness, but ^atheir end will correspond with their deeds.

16 ^aI repeat then, let no one think that I am foolish; but even if you do, at least accept me as foolish, so that I too may boast a little. 17 What I say in this confident boasting, I say not ^aas the Lord would with His authority, but ^bfoolishly. 18 Since ^amany boast of worldly things and brag ^babout human accomplishments, I will boast too. 19 ¹For you, ^abeing so wise, gladly tolerate and accept the foolish like me! 20 For you tolerate it if anyone ^amakes you his slave; or ^bdevours you and your possessions; or ^ctakes advantage of you; or acts ^dpresumptuously; or ^ehits you in the face. 21 To my ^ashame, I must say, we have been too ^bweak in comparison to those pseudo-apostles who take advantage of you.

But in whatever anyone else ^cdares to boast—I ^dam speaking foolishly—I also dare to boast. 22 Are they ^aHebrews? ^bSo am I. Are they ^cIsraelites? ^dSo am I. Are they ^edescendants of Abraham? ^fSo am I. 23 Are they self-proclaimed ^aservants of Christ?—I am speaking as if I were out of my mind—I am more so for I exceed them; with ^bfar more labors, with ^cfar more imprisonments, ^dbeaten times without number, and often in ^edanger of death. 24 Five times I received from the Jews ^1athirty-nine lashes. Deut 25:3 25 Three times I was ^abeaten with rods, once I was ^bstoned. Three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent adrift on the sea; 26 many times on journeys, exposed to danger from rivers, danger from bandits, danger from my own ^acountrymen, danger from the ^bGentiles, danger in the ^ccity, danger in the wilderness, danger on the sea, danger among ^dthose posing as believers; 27 in ^alabor and hardship, often unable to sleep, in ^bhunger and thirst, often driven to ^cfasting for lack of food, in cold and ^dexposure without adequate clothing. 28 Besides those external things, there is the daily inescapable pressure of my concern for ^aall the churches. 29 Who is ^aweak, and I do not feel his weakness? Who is made to sin, and I am not on fire with sorrow and concern?

30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that reveal my ^aweakness the things by which I am made weak in the eyes of my opponents. 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, ^aHe who is blessed and to be praised forevermore, knows ^bthat I am not lying. 32 In ^aDamascus the ¹governor (ethnarch) under ²King Aretas ^bguarded the city of Damascus in order to arrest me, 33 and I was actually let down in a basket ^athrough a ¹window in the wall, and slipped through his fingers.

I wish that you would ^abear with me in a little ^bfoolishness; but ¹indeed you are bearing with me. 2 For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I ^abetrothed you to one husband, to ^bpresent you as a pure virgin to Christ. 3 But I am afraid that, as the ^aserpent deceived Eve by his trickery, your minds will be led astray from sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if ¹one comes and preaches ^aanother Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a ^bdifferent spirit which you have not received, or a ^cdifferent gospel which you have not accepted, this you ^dtolerate ^every well! 5 For I consider myself ^anot in the least inferior to the ¹most eminent apostles. 6 But even if I am ^aunskilled in speech, yet I am not so in ^bknowledge; in fact, in every way we have ^cmade this evident to you in all things.

7 Or ^adid I commit a sin by humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the ^bgospel of God to you ^cwithout charge? 8 I robbed other churches by ^ataking wages from them to serve you; 9 and when I was present with you and was in need, I was ^anot a burden to anyone; for when ^bthe brothers came from ^cMacedonia they fully supplied my need, and in everything I kept myself from ^dbeing a burden to you, ¹and will continue to do so. 10 ^aAs the truth of Christ is in me, ^bthis boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of ^cAchaia. 11 Why? ^aBecause I do not love you? ^bGod knows that I do!

12 But what I am doing I will also continue to do, ^aso that I may eliminate the opportunity from those who want an opportunity to be ¹regarded just as we are in the matter about which they are boasting. 13 For such men are ^afalse apostles, ^bdeceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 No wonder, for even ^aSatan disguises himself as an ^bangel of light. 15 Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, ^awhose end will be according to their deeds.

16 ^aAgain 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. 17 What I am saying, I am not saying ^1aas the Lord would, but as ^bin foolishness, in this confidence of boasting. 18 Since ^amany boast ^baccording to the flesh, I will boast also. 19 For you, ^abeing so wise, tolerate the foolish gladly. 20 For you tolerate it if anyone ^aenslaves you, if anyone ^bdevours you, if anyone ^ctakes advantage of you, if anyone ^dexalts himself, if anyone ^ehits you in the face. 21 To my ^ashame I must say that we have been ^bweak by comparison.

But in whatever respect anyone else ^cis bold—I am ^dspeaking in foolishness—I too am bold. 22 Are they ^aHebrews? ^bSo am I. Are they ^cIsraelites? ^dSo am I. Are they ^1edescendants of Abraham? ^fSo am I. 23 Are they ^aservants of Christ?—I am speaking as if insane—I more so; in ^bfar more labors, in ^cfar more imprisonments, ^1dbeaten times without number, often in danger of ^edeath. 24 Five times I received from the Jews ^athirty-nine lashes. 25 Three times I was ^abeaten with rods, once I was ^bstoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent adrift at sea. 26 I 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 wilderness, dangers at sea, dangers among ^dfalse brothers; 27 I have been in ^alabor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in ^bhunger and thirst, often ^cwithout food, in cold and ^1dexposure. 28 Apart from such ¹external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for ^aall the churches. 29 Who is ^aweak without my being weak? Who is ¹led into sin ²without my intense concern?

30 If I have to boast, I will boast of what pertains to my ^aweakness. 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, ^aHe who is blessed forever, ^bknows that I am not lying. 32 In ^aDamascus the ethnarch under Aretas the king was ^bguarding the city of the Damascenes in order to seize me, 33 and I was let down in a basket ^athrough a window ¹in the wall, and so escaped his hands.