2 Corinthians 11 - New American Standard Bible 1995 (NASB1995)

Paul Defends His Apostleship

11 I wish that you would (A)bear with me in a little (B)foolishness; but [a]indeed you are bearing with me. 2 For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I (C)betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might (D)present you as a pure virgin. 3 But I am afraid that, as the (E)serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. 4 For if [b]one comes and preaches (F)another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a (G)different spirit which you have not received, or a (H)different gospel which you have not accepted, you (I)bear this (J)beautifully. 5 For I consider myself (K)not in the least inferior to the [c]most eminent apostles. 6 But even if I am (L)unskilled in speech, yet I am not so in (M)knowledge; in fact, in every way we have (N)made this evident to you in all things.

7 Or (O)did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the (P)gospel of God to you (Q)without charge? 8 I robbed other churches by (R)taking wages from them to serve you; 9 and when I was present with you and was in need, I was (S)not a burden to anyone; for when (T)the brethren came from (U)Macedonia they fully supplied my need, and in everything I kept myself from (V)being a burden to you, [d]and will continue to do so. 10 (W)As the truth of Christ is in me, (X)this boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of (Y)Achaia. 11 Why? (Z)Because I do not love you? (AA)God knows I do!

12 But what I am doing I will continue to do, (AB)so that I may cut off opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be [e]regarded just as we are in the matter about which they are boasting. 13 For such men are (AC)false apostles, (AD)deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 No wonder, for even (AE)Satan disguises himself as an (AF)angel of light. 15 Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, (AG)whose end will be according to their deeds.

16 (AH)Again 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 [f](AI)as the Lord would, but as (AJ)in foolishness, in this confidence of boasting. 18 Since (AK)many boast (AL)according to the flesh, I will boast also. 19 For you, (AM)being so wise, tolerate the foolish gladly. 20 For you tolerate it if anyone (AN)enslaves you, anyone (AO)devours you, anyone (AP)takes advantage of you, anyone (AQ)exalts himself, anyone (AR)hits you in the face. 21 To my (AS)shame I must say that we have been (AT)weak by comparison.

But in whatever respect anyone else (AU)is bold—I (AV)speak in foolishness—I am just as bold myself. 22 Are they (AW)Hebrews? (AX)So am I. Are they (AY)Israelites? (AZ)So am I. Are they [g](BA)descendants of Abraham? (BB)So am I. 23 Are they (BC)servants of Christ?—I speak as if insane—I more so; in [h](BD)far more labors, in [i](BE)far more imprisonments, [j](BF)beaten times without number, often in (BG)danger of death. 24 Five times I received from the Jews (BH)thirty-nine lashes. 25 Three times I was (BI)beaten with rods, once I was (BJ)stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. 26 I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my (BK)countrymen, dangers from the (BL)Gentiles, dangers in the (BM)city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among (BN)false brethren; 27 I have been in (BO)labor and hardship, [k]through many sleepless nights, in (BP)hunger and thirst, often (BQ)without food, in cold and [l](BR)exposure. 28 Apart from such [m]external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for (BS)all the churches. 29 Who is (BT)weak without my being weak? Who is [n]led into sin [o]without my intense concern?

30 If I have to boast, I will boast of what pertains to my (BU)weakness. 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, (BV)He who is blessed forever, (BW)knows that I am not lying. 32 In (BX)Damascus the ethnarch under Aretas the king was (BY)guarding the city of the Damascenes in order to seize me, 33 and I was let down in a basket (BZ)through a window [p]in the wall, and so escaped his hands.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 11:1 Or do indeed bear with me
  2. 2 Corinthians 11:4 Lit the one who comes preaches
  3. 2 Corinthians 11:5 Or super-apostles
  4. 2 Corinthians 11:9 Lit and I will keep
  5. 2 Corinthians 11:12 Lit found
  6. 2 Corinthians 11:17 Lit in accordance with the Lord
  7. 2 Corinthians 11:22 Lit seed
  8. 2 Corinthians 11:23 Lit more abundant
  9. 2 Corinthians 11:23 Lit more abundant
  10. 2 Corinthians 11:23 Lit exceedingly in stripes
  11. 2 Corinthians 11:27 Lit often in wakefulness
  12. 2 Corinthians 11:27 Lit nakedness; i.e. lack of clothing
  13. 2 Corinthians 11:28 Or the things unmentioned
  14. 2 Corinthians 11:29 Lit made to stumble
  15. 2 Corinthians 11:29 Lit and I do not burn
  16. 2 Corinthians 11:33 Lit through

Cross references

  1. 2 Corinthians 11:1 : Matt 17:17; 2 Cor 11:4, 16, 19f
  2. 2 Corinthians 11:1 : 2 Cor 5:13; 11:17, 21
  3. 2 Corinthians 11:2 : Hos 2:19f; Eph 5:26f
  4. 2 Corinthians 11:2 : 2 Cor 4:14
  5. 2 Corinthians 11:3 : Gen 3:4, 13; John 8:44; 1 Thess 3:5; 1 Tim 2:14; Rev 12:9, 15
  6. 2 Corinthians 11:4 : 1 Cor 3:11
  7. 2 Corinthians 11:4 : Rom 8:15
  8. 2 Corinthians 11:4 : Gal 1:6
  9. 2 Corinthians 11:4 : 2 Cor 11:1
  10. 2 Corinthians 11:4 : Mark 7:9
  11. 2 Corinthians 11:5 : 2 Cor 12:11; Gal 2:6
  12. 2 Corinthians 11:6 : 1 Cor 1:17
  13. 2 Corinthians 11:6 : 1 Cor 12:8; Eph 3:4
  14. 2 Corinthians 11:6 : 2 Cor 4:2
  15. 2 Corinthians 11:7 : 2 Cor 12:13
  16. 2 Corinthians 11:7 : Rom 1:1; 2 Cor 2:12
  17. 2 Corinthians 11:7 : Acts 18:3; 1 Cor 9:18
  18. 2 Corinthians 11:8 : 1 Cor 4:12; 9:6; Phil 4:15, 18
  19. 2 Corinthians 11:9 : 2 Cor 12:13f, 16
  20. 2 Corinthians 11:9 : Acts 18:5
  21. 2 Corinthians 11:9 : Rom 15:26; Phil 4:15-18
  22. 2 Corinthians 11:9 : 2 Cor 12:13f, 16
  23. 2 Corinthians 11:10 : Rom 1:9; 9:1; 2 Cor 1:23; Gal 2:20
  24. 2 Corinthians 11:10 : 1 Cor 9:15
  25. 2 Corinthians 11:10 : Acts 18:12
  26. 2 Corinthians 11:11 : 2 Cor 12:15
  27. 2 Corinthians 11:11 : Rom 1:9; 2 Cor 2:17; 11:31; 12:2f
  28. 2 Corinthians 11:12 : 1 Cor 9:12
  29. 2 Corinthians 11:13 : Acts 20:30; Gal 1:7; 2:4; Phil 1:15; Titus 1:10f; 2 Pet 2:1; Rev 2:2
  30. 2 Corinthians 11:13 : Phil 3:2
  31. 2 Corinthians 11:14 : Matt 4:10; Eph 6:12; Col 1:13
  32. 2 Corinthians 11:14 : Col 1:12
  33. 2 Corinthians 11:15 : Rom 2:6; 3:8
  34. 2 Corinthians 11:16 : 2 Cor 11:1
  35. 2 Corinthians 11:17 : 1 Cor 7:12, 25
  36. 2 Corinthians 11:17 : 2 Cor 11:21
  37. 2 Corinthians 11:18 : Phil 3:3f
  38. 2 Corinthians 11:18 : 2 Cor 5:16
  39. 2 Corinthians 11:19 : 1 Cor 4:10
  40. 2 Corinthians 11:20 : 2 Cor 1:24; Gal 2:4; 4:3, 9; 5:1
  41. 2 Corinthians 11:20 : Mark 12:40
  42. 2 Corinthians 11:20 : 2 Cor 11:3; 12:16
  43. 2 Corinthians 11:20 : 2 Cor 10:5
  44. 2 Corinthians 11:20 : 1 Cor 4:11
  45. 2 Corinthians 11:21 : 2 Cor 6:8
  46. 2 Corinthians 11:21 : 2 Cor 10:10
  47. 2 Corinthians 11:21 : 2 Cor 10:2
  48. 2 Corinthians 11:21 : 2 Cor 11:17
  49. 2 Corinthians 11:22 : Acts 6:1
  50. 2 Corinthians 11:22 : Phil 3:5
  51. 2 Corinthians 11:22 : Rom 9:4
  52. 2 Corinthians 11:22 : Rom 9:4
  53. 2 Corinthians 11:22 : Gal 3:16
  54. 2 Corinthians 11:22 : Rom 11:1
  55. 2 Corinthians 11:23 : 1 Cor 3:5; 2 Cor 3:6; 10:7
  56. 2 Corinthians 11:23 : 1 Cor 15:10
  57. 2 Corinthians 11:23 : 2 Cor 6:5
  58. 2 Corinthians 11:23 : Acts 16:23; 2 Cor 6:5
  59. 2 Corinthians 11:23 : Rom 8:36
  60. 2 Corinthians 11:24 : Deut 25:3
  61. 2 Corinthians 11:25 : Acts 16:22
  62. 2 Corinthians 11:25 : Acts 14:19
  63. 2 Corinthians 11:26 : Acts 9:23; 13:45, 50; 14:5; 17:5, 13; 18:12; 20:3, 19; 21:27; 23:10, 12; 25:3; 1 Thess 2:15
  64. 2 Corinthians 11:26 : Acts 14:5, 19; 19:23ff; 27:42
  65. 2 Corinthians 11:26 : Acts 21:31
  66. 2 Corinthians 11:26 : Gal 2:4
  67. 2 Corinthians 11:27 : 1 Thess 2:9; 2 Thess 3:8
  68. 2 Corinthians 11:27 : 1 Cor 4:11; Phil 4:12
  69. 2 Corinthians 11:27 : 2 Cor 6:5
  70. 2 Corinthians 11:27 : 1 Cor 4:11
  71. 2 Corinthians 11:28 : 1 Cor 7:17
  72. 2 Corinthians 11:29 : 1 Cor 8:9, 13; 9:22
  73. 2 Corinthians 11:30 : 1 Cor 2:3
  74. 2 Corinthians 11:31 : Rom 1:25
  75. 2 Corinthians 11:31 : 2 Cor 11:11
  76. 2 Corinthians 11:32 : Acts 9:2
  77. 2 Corinthians 11:32 : Acts 9:24
  78. 2 Corinthians 11:33 : Acts 9:25

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