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.

Revised Standard Version RSV

1 I wish you would bear with me in a little foolishness. Do bear with me!

2 I feel a divine jealousy for you, for I betrothed you to Christ to present you as a pure bride to her one husband.

3 But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

4 For if some one comes and preaches another Jesus than the one we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you submit to it readily enough.

5 I think that I am not in the least inferior to these superlative apostles.

6 Even if I am unskilled in speaking, I am not in knowledge; in every way we have made this plain to you in all things.

7 Did I commit a sin in abasing myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached God's gospel without cost to you?

8 I robbed other churches by accepting support from them in order to serve you.

9 And when I was with you and was in want, I did not burden any one, for my needs were supplied by the brethren who came from Macedo'nia. So I refrained and will refrain from burdening you in any way.

10 As the truth of Christ is in me, this boast of mine shall not be silenced in the regions of Acha'ia.

11 And why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!

12 And what I do I will continue to do, in order to undermine the claim of those who would like to claim that in their boasted mission they work on the same terms as we do.

13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.

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

15 So it is not strange if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.

16 I repeat, let no one think me foolish; but even if you do, accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little.

17 (What I am saying I say not with the Lord's authority but as a fool, in this boastful confidence;

18 since many boast of worldly things, I too will boast.)

19 For you gladly bear with fools, being wise yourselves!

20 For you bear it if a man makes slaves of you, or preys upon you, or takes advantage of you, or puts on airs, or strikes you in the face.

21 To my shame, I must say, we were too weak for that! But whatever any one dares to boast of--I am speaking as a fool--I also dare to boast of that.

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

23 Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one--I am talking like a madman--with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death.

24 Five times I have received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one.

25 Three times I have been beaten with rods; once I was stoned. Three times I have been shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been adrift at sea;

26 on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brethren;

27 in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.

28 And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure upon me of my anxiety for all the churches.

29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant?

30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.

31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed for ever, knows that I do not lie.

32 At Damascus, the governor under King Ar'etas guarded the city of Damascus in order to seize me,

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