2 Corinthians 11 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Paul and the False Apostles

11 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.

Paul’s Sufferings as an Apostle

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.

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2 Corinthians 11 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

11 O that ye were bearing with me a little of the folly, but ye also do bear with me: 2 for I am zealous for you with zeal of God, for I did betroth you to one husband, a pure virgin, to present to Christ, 3 and I fear, lest, as the serpent did beguile Eve in his subtilty, so your minds may be corru...
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2 Corinthians 11 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

11 I would that ye would suffer a little thing of mine unwisdom, but also support ye me.[a] 2 For I love you by the love of God; for I have espoused [spoused] you to one husband, to yield a chaste virgin to Christ [to give you, a chaste virgin, to one man, Christ]. 3 But I dread, lest as the serpe...
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2 Corinthians 11 - Worldwide English (New Testament) (WE)

11 I want to say something a little bit foolish. But please listen to me! 2 I love you as God loves you. I see you as a woman who has not been married and I am giving you to be the wife of a husband. That husband is Christ. 3 But the snake fooled Eve by his trick. And I am afraid that your minds wil...
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2 Corinthians 11 - World English Bible (WEB)

11 I wish that you would bear with me in a little foolishness, but indeed you do bear with me. 2 For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy. For I married you to one husband, that I might present you as a pure virgin to Christ. 3 But I am afraid that somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve in hi...
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2 Corinthians 11 - The Voice (VOICE)

Paul’s tone changes. Some believe chapters 10–13 may be from his second letter “covered with tears” (2:4). His rebuke and strong warning are meant to lead the Corinthians lovingly to repentance.11 Please endure a little foolishness on my part; you have come so far with me already. 2 To be completel...
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2 Corinthians 11 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

True and False Apostles11 I wish that you would put up with a little foolishness from me, but indeed you are putting up with me. 2 For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy. For I betrothed you to one husband, to present you to Messiah as a pure virgin. [a] 3 But I am afraid that somehow, as ...
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2 Corinthians 11 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Paul and the False Apostles11 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 thought...
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2 Corinthians 11 - Revised Geneva Translation (RGT)

11 Would to God you could suffer a little of my foolishness, and indeed, suffer me. 2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy. For I have prepared you for one husband; to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. 3 Yet I fear, however, that just as the serpent tricked Eve through his subtlety, s...
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2 Corinthians 11 - New Testament for Everyone (NTE)

Super-Apostles?11 I’d be glad if you would bear with me in a little bit of foolishness. Yes: bear with me, please! 2 I’m jealous over you, and it’s God’s own jealousy: I arranged to marry you off, like a pure virgin, to the one man I presented you to, namely the Messiah. 3 But the serpent tricked ...
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2 Corinthians 11 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Paul and the False Apostles11 I wish you would put up with me in a little foolishness. Yes, do put up[a] with me!(A)2 I feel a divine jealousy for you, for I promised you in marriage to one husband, to present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.(B)3 But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by...
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2 Corinthians 11 - New Matthew Bible (NMB)

Paul (with reluctance) commends himself, and defends his authority against the false prophets. 11 I would you could suffer me a little in my foolishness, yea and I ask you to bear with me. 2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy. For I espoused you to one man, to present you a chaste virgin...
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2 Corinthians 11 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Paul and the False Apostles11 I hope you will put up with a little more of my foolishness. Please bear with me. 2 For I am jealous for you with the jealousy of God himself. I promised you as a pure bride[a] to one husband—Christ. 3 But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ w...
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2 Corinthians 11 - New Life Version (NLV)

Paul—the True Missionary11 I wish you would listen to a little foolish talk from me. Now listen. 2 I am jealous for you with a God-like jealousy. I have given you, as a woman who has never had a man, to one Husband, Who is Christ. 3 Eve was fooled by the snake in the garden of Eden. In the same wa...
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2 Corinthians 11 - New King James Version (NKJV)

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