Parallel Bible results for "2 corinthians 11"

2 Corinthians 11

Common English Bible CEB

1 I hope that you will put up with me while I act like a fool. Well, in fact, you are putting up with me!

2 I'm deeply concerned about you with the same concern that God has. As your father, I promised you in marriage to one husband. I promised to present you as an innocent virgin to Christ himself.

3 But I'm afraid that your minds might be seduced in the same way as the snake deceived Eve with his devious tricks. You might be unable to focus completely on a genuine and innocent commitment to Christ.

4 If a person comes and preaches some other Jesus than the one we preached, or if you receive a different Spirit than the one you had received, or a different gospel than the one you embraced, you put up with it so easily!

5 I don't consider myself as second-rate in any way compared to the "super-apostles."

6 But even if I'm uneducated in public speaking, I'm not uneducated in knowledge. We have shown this to you in every way and in everything we have done.

7 Did I commit a sin by humbling myself to give you an advantage because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge?

8 I robbed other churches by taking a salary from them in order to serve you!

9 While I was with you, I didn't burden any of you even though I needed things. The believers who came from Macedonia gave me everything I needed. I kept myself from being a financial drain on you in any way, and I will continue to keep myself from being a burden.

10 Since Christ's truth is in me, I won't stop telling the entire area of Greece that I'm proud of what I did.

11 Why? Is it because I don't love you? God knows that I do!

12 But I'm going to continue to do what I'm doing. I want to contradict the claims of the people who want to be treated like they are the same as us because of what they brag about.

13 Such people are false apostles and dishonest workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ.

14 And no wonder! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

15 It is no great surprise then that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.

16 I repeat, no one should take me for a fool. But if you do, then allow me to be a fool so that I can brag like a fool for a bit.

17 I'm not saying what I'm saying because the Lord tells me to. I'm saying it like I'm a fool. I'm putting my confidence in this business of bragging.

18 Since so many people are bragging based on human standards, that is how I'm going to brag too.

19 Because you, who are so wise, are happy to put up with fools.

20 You put up with it if someone enslaves you, if someone exploits you, if someone takes advantage of you, if someone places themselves over you, or if someone hits you in the face.

21 I'm ashamed to say that we have been weak in comparison! But in whatever they challenge me, I challenge them (I'm speaking foolishly).

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

23 Are they ministers of Christ? I'm speaking like a crazy person. What I've done goes well beyond what they've done. I've worked much harder. I've been imprisoned much more often. I've been beaten more times than I can count. I've faced death many times.

24 I received the "forty lashes minus one" from the Jews five times.

25 I was beaten with rods three times. I was stoned once. I was shipwrecked three times. I spent a day and a night on the open sea.

26 I've been on many journeys. I faced dangers from rivers, robbers, my people, and Gentiles. I faced dangers in the city, in the desert, on the sea, and from false brothers and sisters.

27 I faced these dangers with hard work and heavy labor, many sleepless nights, hunger and thirst, often without food, and in the cold without enough clothes.

28 Besides all the other things I could mention, there's my daily stress because I'm concerned about all the churches.

29 Who is weak without me being weak? Who is led astray without me being furious about it?

30 If it's necessary to brag, I'll brag about my weaknesses.

31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, the one who is blessed forever, knows that I'm not lying.

32 At Damascus the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of Damascus in order to capture me,

33 but I got away from him by being lowered in a basket through a window in the city wall.

GOD'S WORD Translation GW

1 I want you to put up with a little foolishness from me. I'm sure that you will.

2 I'm as protective of you as God is. After all, you're a virgin whom I promised in marriage to one man--Christ.

3 However, I'm afraid that as the snake deceived Eve by its tricks, so your minds may somehow be lured away from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

4 When someone comes to you telling about another Jesus whom we didn't tell you about, you're willing to put up with it. When you receive a spirit that is different from the Spirit you received earlier, you're also willing to put up with that. When someone tells you good news that is different from the Good News you already accepted, you're willing to put up with that too.

5 I don't think I'm inferior in any way to your super-apostles.

6 Even though I'm not good with words, I know what I'm talking about. Timothy and I have made this clear to you in every possible way.

7 Did I commit a sin when I humbled myself by telling you the Good News of God free of charge so that you could become important?

8 I robbed other churches by taking pay from them to serve you.

9 When I was with you and needed something, I didn't bother any of you for help. My friends from the province of Macedonia supplied everything I needed. I kept myself from being a financial burden to you in any way, and I will continue to do that.

10 As surely as I have Christ's truth, my bragging will not be silenced anywhere in Greece.

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

12 But I'll go on doing what I'm doing. This will take away the opportunity of those people who want to brag because they think they're like us.

13 People who brag like this are false apostles. They are dishonest workers, since they disguise themselves as Christ's apostles.

14 And no wonder, even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

15 So it's not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants who have God's approval. In the end they will get what they deserve.

16 Again I say that no one should think that I'm a fool. But if you do, then take me for a fool so that I can also brag a little.

17 What I say as I start bragging is foolishness. It's not something I would say if I were speaking for the Lord.

18 Since it's common for people to brag, I'll do it too.

19 You're wise, so you'll gladly put up with fools.

20 When someone makes you slaves, consumes your wealth, seizes your property, orders you around, or slaps your faces, you put up with it.

21 I'm ashamed to admit it, but Timothy and I don't have the strength to do those things to you. Whatever other people dare to brag about, I, like a fool, can also brag about.

22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham's descendants? So am I.

23 Are they Christ's servants? It's insane to say it, but I'm a far better one. I've done much more work, been in prison many more times, been beaten more severely, and have faced death more often.

24 Five times the Jewish leaders had me beaten with 39 lashes;

25 three times Roman officials had me beaten with clubs. Once people tried to stone me to death; three times I was shipwrecked, and I drifted on the sea for a night and a day.

26 Because I've traveled a lot, I've faced dangers from raging rivers, from robbers, from my own people, and from other people. I've faced dangers in the city, in the open country, on the sea, and from believers who turned out to be false friends.

27 Because I've had to work so hard, I've often gone without sleep, been hungry and thirsty, and gone without food and without proper clothes during cold weather.

28 Besides these external matters, I have the daily pressure of my anxiety about all the churches.

29 When anyone is weak, I'm weak too. When anyone is caught in a trap, I'm also harmed.

30 If I must brag, I will brag about the things that show how weak I am.

31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is praised forever, knows that I'm not lying.

32 The governor under King Aretas put guards around the city of Damascus to catch me.

33 So I was let down in a basket through an opening in the wall and escaped from him.