2 Corinthians 10; 2 Corinthians 11; 2 Corinthians 12; 2 Corinthians 13

2 Corinthians 10

1 Now I, Paul, make a personal appeal to you by the gentleness and graciousness of Christ-I who am humble among you in person, but bold toward you when absent.

2 I beg you that when I am present I will not need to be bold with the confidence by which I plan to challenge certain people who think we are walking in a fleshly way.

3 For although we are walking in the flesh, we do not wage war in a fleshly way,

4 since the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but are powerful through God for the demolition of strongholds. We demolish arguments

5 and every high-minded thing that is raised up against the knowledge of God, taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.

6 And we are ready to punish any disobedience, once your obedience is complete.

7 Look at what is obvious. If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should remind himself of this: just as he belongs to Christ, so do we.

8 For if I boast some more about our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for tearing you down, I am not ashamed.

9 I don't want to seem as though I am trying to terrify you with my letters.

10 For it is said, "His letters are weighty and powerful, but his physical presence is weak, and his public speaking is despicable."

11 Such a person should consider this: what we are in the words of our letters when absent, we will be in actions when present.

12 For we don't dare classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. But in measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves to themselves, they lack understanding.

13 We, however, will not boast beyond measure, but according to the measure of the area [of ministry] that God has assigned to us, [which] reaches even to you.

14 For we are not overextending ourselves, as if we had not reached you, since we have come to you with the gospel of Christ.

15 We are not bragging beyond measure about other people's labors. But we have the hope that as your faith increases, our area [of ministry] will be greatly enlarged,

16 so that we may preach the gospel to the regions beyond you, not boasting about what has already been done in someone else's area [of ministry].

17 So the one who boasts must boast in the Lord.

18 For it is not the one commending himself who is approved, but the one the Lord commends.

2 Corinthians 11

1 I wish you would put up with a little foolishness from me. Yes, do put up with me.

2 For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy, because I have promised you in marriage to one husband-to present a pure virgin to Christ.

3 But I fear that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your minds may be corrupted from a complete and pure devotion to Christ.

4 For if a person comes and preaches another Jesus, whom we did not preach, or you receive a different spirit, which you had not received, or a different gospel, which you had not accepted, you put up with it splendidly!

5 Now I consider myself in no way inferior to the "super-apostles."

6 Though untrained in public speaking, I am certainly not [untrained] in knowledge. Indeed, we have always made that clear to you in everything.

7 Or did I commit a sin by humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge?

8 I robbed other churches by taking pay [from them] to minister to you.

9 When I was present with you and in need, I did not burden anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my needs. I have kept myself, and will keep myself, from burdening you in any way.

10 As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of Achaia.

11 Why? Because I don't love you? God knows I do!

12 But I will continue to do what I am doing, in order to cut off the opportunity of those who want an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in what they are boasting about.

13 For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.

14 And no wonder! For Satan himself is disguised as an angel of light.

15 So it is no great thing if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their destiny will be according to their works.

16 I repeat: no one should consider me a fool. But if [you do], at least accept me as a fool, so I too may boast a little.

17 What I say in this matter of boasting, I don't speak as the Lord would, but foolishly.

18 Since many boast from a human perspective, I will also boast.

19 For you gladly put up with fools since you are so smart!

20 In fact, you put up with it if someone enslaves you, if someone devours you, if someone captures you, if someone dominates you, or if someone hits you in the face.

21 I say this to [our] shame: we have been weak. But in whatever anyone dares [to boast]-I am talking foolishly-I also dare:

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

23 Are they servants of Christ? I'm talking like a madman-I'm a better one: with far more labors, many more imprisonments, far worse beatings, near death many times.

24 Five times I received from the Jews 40 lashes minus one.

25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. I have spent a night and a day in the depths of the sea.

26 On frequent journeys, [I faced] dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own people, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the open country, dangers on the sea, and dangers among false brothers;

27 labor and hardship, many sleepless nights, hunger and thirst, often without food, cold, and lacking clothing.

28 Not to mention other things, there is the daily pressure on me: my care for all the churches.

29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?

30 If boasting is necessary, I will boast about my weaknesses.

31 The eternally blessed One, the God and Father of the Lord Jesus, knows I am not lying.

32 In Damascus, the governor under King Aretas 40), a Nabatean Arab king guarded the city of the Damascenes in order to arrest me,

33 so I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his hands.

2 Corinthians 12

1 It is necessary to boast; it is not helpful, but I will move on to visions and revelations of the Lord.

2 I know a man in Christ who was caught up into the third heaven 14 years ago. Whether he was in the body or out of the body, I don't know; God knows.

3 I know that this man-whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows-

4 was caught up into paradise. He heard inexpressible words, which a man is not allowed to speak.

5 I will boast about this person, but not about myself, except of my weaknesses.

6 For if I want to boast, I will not be a fool, because I will be telling the truth. But I will spare you, so that no one can credit me with something beyond what he sees in me or hears from me,

7 especially because of the extraordinary revelations. Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to torment me so I would not exalt myself.

8 Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times to take it away from me.

9 But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may reside in me.

10 So because of Christ, I am pleased in weaknesses, in insults, in catastrophes, in persecutions, and in pressures. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

11 I have become a fool; you forced it on me. I ought to have been recommended by you, since I am in no way inferior to the "super-apostles," even though I am nothing.

12 The signs of an apostle were performed among you in all endurance-not only signs but also wonders and miracles.

13 So in what way were you treated worse than the other churches, except that I personally did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong!

14 Look! I am ready to come to you this third time. I will not burden you, for I am not seeking what is yours, but you. For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.

15 I will most gladly spend and be spent for you. If I love you more, am I to be loved less?

16 Now granted, I have not burdened you; yet sly as I am, I took you in by deceit!

17 Did I take advantage of you by anyone I sent you?

18 I urged Titus [to come], and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Didn't we walk in the same spirit and in the same footsteps?

19 You have thought all along that we were defending ourselves to you. [No], in the sight of God we are speaking in Christ, and everything, dear friends, is for building you up.

20 For I fear that perhaps when I come I will not find you to be what I want, and I may not be found by you to be what you want; there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder.

21 I fear that when I come my God will again humiliate me in your presence, and I will grieve for many who sinned before and have not repented of the uncleanness, sexual immorality, and promiscuity they practiced.

2 Corinthians 13

1 This is the third time I am coming to you. On the testimony of two or three witnesses every word will be confirmed.

2 I gave warning, and I give warning-as when I was present the second time, so now while I am absent-to those who sinned before and to all the rest: if I come again, I will not be lenient,

3 since you seek proof of Christ speaking in me. He is not weak toward you, but powerful among you.

4 In fact, He was crucified in weakness, but He lives by God's power. For we also are weak in Him, yet toward you we will live with Him by God's power.

5 Test yourselves [to see] if you are in the faith. Examine yourselves. Or do you not recognize for yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you?-unless you fail the test.

6 And I hope you will recognize that we are not failing the test.

7 Now we pray to God that you do nothing wrong, not that we may appear to pass the test, but that you may do what is right, even though we [may appear] to fail.

8 For we are not able to do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.

9 In fact, we rejoice when we are weak and you are strong. We also pray for this: your maturity.

10 This is why I am writing these things while absent, that when I am there I will not use severity, in keeping with the authority the Lord gave me for building up and not for tearing down.

11 Finally, brothers, rejoice. Be restored, be encouraged, be of the same mind, be at peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.

12 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you.

13 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.