The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 11 -

Woulde to God, yee coulde suffer a litle my foolishnes, and in deede, ye suffer me.

For I am ielous ouer you, with godly ielousie: for I haue prepared you for one husband, to present you as a pure virgine to Christ:

But I feare least as the serpent beguiled Eue through his subtiltie, so your mindes shoulde be corrupt from the simplicitie that is in Christ.

For if he that commeth, preacheth another Iesus whome we haue not preached: or if yee receiue another spirite whome ye haue not receiued: either another Gospell, which yee haue not receiued, ye might well haue suffered him.

Verely I suppose that I was not inferior to the very chiefe Apostles.

And though I be rude in speaking, yet I am not so in knowledge, but among you wee haue beene made manifest to the vttermost, in all things.

Haue I committed an offence, because I abased my selfe, that ye might be exalted, and because I preached to you ye Gospell of God freely?

I robbed other Churches, and tooke wages of them to doe you seruice.

And when I was present with you, and had neede, I was not slouthfull to the hinderance of any man: for that which was lacking vnto me, the brethre which came from Macedonia, supplied, and in all thinges I kept and will keepe my selfe, that I should not be grieuous to you.

The trueth of Christ is in me, that this reioycing shall not be shut vp against me in the regions of Achaia.

Wherefore? because I loue you not? God knoweth.

But what I doe, that will I doe: that I may cut away occasion from them which desire occasion, that they might be found like vnto vs in that wherein they reioyce.

For such false apostles are deceitfull workers, and transforme themselues into the Apostles of Christ.

And no marueile: for Satan himselfe is transformed into an Angel of light.

Therefore it is no great thing, though his ministers transforme themselues, as though they were the ministers of righteousnes, whose end shall be according to their workes.

Paul’s Suffering and Service

(Colossians 1:24–29)

I say againe, Let no man thinke that I am foolish, or els take mee euen as a foole, that I also may boast my selfe a litle.

That I speake, I speake it not after the Lord: but as it were foolishly, in this my great boasting.

Seeing that many reioyce after the flesh, I will reioyce also.

For ye suffer fooles gladly, because that yee are wise.

For ye suffer, euen if a man bring you into bondage, if a man deuoure you, if a man take your goods, if a man exalt himselfe, if a man smite you on the face.

I speake as concerning the reproche: as though that we had bene weake: but wherein any man is bold (I speake foolishly) I am bold also.

They are Hebrues, so am I: they are Israelites, so am I: they are the seede of Abraham, so am I:

They are the ministers of Christ (I speake as a foole) I am more: in labours more aboundant: in stripes aboue measure: in prison more plenteously: in death oft.

Of the Iewes fiue times receiued I fourtie stripes saue one.

I was thrise beaten with roddes: I was once stoned: I suffered thrise shipwracke: night and day haue I bene in the deepe sea.

In iourneying I was often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of mine owne nation, in perils among the Gentiles, in perils in the citie, in perils in wildernes, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren,

In wearinesse and painefulnesse, in watching often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in colde and in nakednesse.

Beside the thinges which are outwarde, I am combred dayly, and haue the care of all the Churches.

Who is weake, and I am not weake? who is offended, and I burne not?

If I must needes reioyce, I will reioyce of mine infirmities.

The God, euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, which is blessed for euermore, knoweth that I lie not.

In Damascus the gouernour of the people vnder King Aretas, layde watch in the citie of the Damascens, and would haue caught me.

But at a window was I let downe in a basket through the wall, and escaped his handes.

I wish that you would bear with me in a little foolishness, but indeed you do bear with me.

For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy. For I promised you in marriage to one husband, that I might present you as a pure virgin to Christ.

But I am afraid that somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve in his craftiness, so your minds might be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we didn’t preach, or if you receive a different spirit which you didn’t receive, or a different “good news” which you didn’t accept, you put up with that well enough.

For I reckon that I am not at all behind the very best apostles.

But though I am unskilled in speech, yet I am not unskilled in knowledge. No, in every way we have been revealed to you in all things.

Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached to you God’s Good News free of charge?

I robbed other assemblies, taking wages from them that I might serve you.

When I was present with you and was in need, I wasn’t a burden on anyone, for the brothers, when they came from Macedonia, supplied the measure of my need. In everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and I will continue to do so.

As the truth of Christ is in me, no one will stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia.

Why? Because I don’t love you? God knows.

But what I do, that I will continue to do, that I may cut off opportunity from those who desire an opportunity, that in which they boast, they may be recognized just like us.

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as Christ’s apostles.

And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.

It is no great thing therefore if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

Paul’s Suffering and Service

(Colossians 1:24–29)

I say again, let no one think me foolish. But if so, yet receive me as foolish, that I also may boast a little.

That which I speak, I don’t speak according to the Lord, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of boasting.

Seeing that many boast after the flesh, I will also boast.

For you bear with the foolish gladly, being wise.

For you bear with a man if he brings you into bondage, if he devours you, if he takes you captive, if he exalts himself, or if he strikes you on the face.

To my shame, I speak as though we had been weak. Yet in whatever way anyone is bold (I speak in foolishness), I am bold also.

Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the offspring(a) of Abraham? So am I.

Are they servants of Christ? (I speak as one beside himself.) I am more so: in labors more abundantly, in prisons more abundantly, in stripes above measure, and in deaths often.

Five times I received forty stripes minus one from the Jews.

Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I suffered shipwreck. I have been a night and a day in the deep.

I have been in travels often, perils of rivers, perils of robbers, perils from my countrymen, perils from the Gentiles, perils in the city, perils in the wilderness, perils in the sea, perils among false brothers;

in labor and travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, and in cold and nakedness.

Besides those things that are outside, there is that which presses on me daily: anxiety for all the assemblies.

Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is caused to stumble, and I don’t burn with indignation?

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

The God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, he who is blessed forever more, knows that I don’t lie.

In Damascus the governor under King Aretas guarded the Damascenes’ city, desiring to arrest me.

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

Footnotes

(a)11:22 or, seed