2 Corinthians 11

Give a touch to a verse number or bar to see more. Go to Happy English Learning »

See side by side:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
« 2 Corinthians 102 Corinthians 12 »
BBE KJV

The apostle gives the reasons for speaking in his own good words

Put up with me if I am a little foolish: but, truly, you do put up with me. Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me.
For I have a very great care for you: because you have been married by me to one husband, and it is my desire to give you completely holy to Christ. For 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.
But I have a fear, that in some way, as Eve was tricked by the deceit of the snake, your minds may be turned away from their simple and holy love for Christ. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
For if anyone comes preaching another Jesus from the one whose preachers we are, or if you have got a different spirit, or a different sort of good news from those which came to you, how well you put up with these things. For 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.

Makes it clear that he had freely did preaching of the gospel

For in my opinion, I am in no way less than the most important of the Apostles. For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.
But though I am rough in my way of talking, I am not so in knowledge, as we have made clear to all by our acts among you. But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been thoroughly made manifest among you in all things.
Or did I do wrong in making myself low so that you might be lifted up, because I gave you the good news of God without reward? Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?
I took money from other churches as payment for my work, so that I might be your servant; I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service.
And when I was present with you, and was in need, I let no man be responsible for me; for the brothers, when they came from Macedonia, gave me whatever was needed; and in everything I kept myself from being a trouble to you, and I will go on doing so. And 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.
As the true word of Christ is in me, I will let no man take from me this my cause of pride in the country of Achaia. As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.
Why? because I have no love for you? let God be judge. Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth.
But what I do, that I will go on doing, so that I may give no chance to those who are looking for one; so that, in the cause of their pride, they may be seen to be the same as we are. But 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.
For such men are false Apostles, workers of deceit, making themselves seem like Apostles of Christ. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
And it is no wonder; for even Satan himself is able to take the form of an angel of light. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
So it is no great thing if his servants make themselves seem to be servants of righteousness; whose end will be the reward of their works. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

Explains what he was going to add in defence of his own character

I say again, Let me not seem foolish to anyone; but if I do, put up with me as such, so that I may take a little glory to myself. I say again, Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little.
What I am now saying is not by the order of the Lord, but as a foolish person, taking credit to myself, as it seems. That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.
Seeing that there are those who take credit to themselves after the flesh, I will do the same. Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also.
For you put up with the foolish gladly, being wise yourselves. For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise.
You put up with a man if he makes servants of you, if he makes profit out of you, if he makes you prisoners, if he puts himself in a high place, if he gives you blows on the face. For 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.
I say this by way of shaming ourselves, as if we had been feeble. But if anyone puts himself forward (I am talking like a foolish person), I will do the same. I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak. Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold also.

He gives an account of his labours, cares, troubles and pain, dangers, and deliverances

Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they of Israel? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I. Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.
Are they servants of Christ? (I am talking foolishly) I am more so; I have had more experience of hard work, of prisons, of blows more than measure, of death. Are 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.
Five times the Jews gave me forty blows but one. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
Three times I was whipped with rods, once I was stoned, three times the ship I was in came to destruction at sea, a night and a day I have been in the water; Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
In frequent travels, in dangers on rivers, in dangers from outlaws, in dangers from my countrymen, in dangers from the Gentiles, in dangers in the town, in dangers in the waste land, in dangers at sea, in dangers among false brothers; In 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;
In hard work and weariness, in frequent watchings, going without food and drink, cold and in need of clothing. In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
In addition to all the other things, there is that which comes on me every day, the care of all the churches. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.
Who is feeble and I am not feeble? who is in danger of falling, and I am not angry? Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?
If I have to take credit to myself, I will do so in the things in which I am feeble. If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.
The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be praise for ever, is witness that the things which I say are true. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.
In Damascus, the ruler under Aretas the king kept watch over the town of the people of Damascus, in order to take me: In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me:
And being let down in a basket from the wall through a window, I got free from his hands. And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.
« 2 Corinthians 102 Corinthians 12 »