1Would that you could put up with a little "folly" from me! Nay, do bear with me. 2I have a divine jealousy on your behalf; for I betrothed you to one only husband, even to Christ, that I might present you to him, a chaste virgin. 3But I fear lest, just as the serpent beguiled Eve in his craftiness, so your minds should be seduced from your single-mindedness and purity toward Christ. 4If indeed some one is coming to preach another Jesus, whom I did not preach, or you are receiving a Spirit other than you once received, or another gospel which you did not accept before, you would do well to bear with me.¶ 5For I reckon that I am in no respect behind your superapostolic apostles. 6Yes, though I be unskilled in speech, at least I am not in knowledge; indeed I made this perfectly plain to you in all things and among all men. 7Is it a sin, forsooth, that I humbled myself that you might be exalted, in preaching the gospel to you free of cost? 8Other churches I spoiled, and took their wages to do you service. 9Even when I lacked the actual necessities of life while I was with you, I was a burden to no one; for whatever I lacked, the brothers from Macedonia supplied, when they came. So I kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so. 10As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine shall not be stopped within the boundaries of Greece! 11And why? Because I love you not? God knows I do. 12I am doing and will continue to do this in order to cut away the ground from under those who wish some cause for slander; and that the ground of their boasting may appear as does mine. 13For such fellows are sham apostles of Christ. 14No wonder! for Satan himself disguises himself as an angel of light. 15It is no great marvel, then, if his ministers also disguise themselves as ministers of righteousness. Their end will be according to their works.¶ 16I say again, let no one think me a fool. Or, if you must, at least bear with me as a fool, that I, too, may do a little boasting. 17What I am about to say I am not speaking by the Lord’s command, but as it were in pure folly, in this boldness of boasting. 18Since so many are making worldly boasts, I shall boast, too! 19Although you are wise, you put up with fools willingly enough! 20You put up with it, though they make slaves of you, live on you, seize your property, lord it over you, even strike you in the face, in the way of degradation! 21I say that I was weak, and yet for whatever reason any one is bold (I speak in mere folly) I too am bold.¶ 22Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they descendants of Israel? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. 23Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as though I were beside myself), such, far, more, am I; in labors more abundant, in imprisonments also more abundant, in floggings beyond measure, in deaths often. 24Five times at the hands of the Jews, I have received one short of forty lashes. 25Three times I have been scourged by the Romans; once I have been stoned; three times have I been shipwrecked; a night and a day have I been adrift in the open sea. 26My journeys have been many; in perils of rivers, in perils of bandits; in perils from my countrymen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness; in perils on the sea, in perils among false brothers; 27in toil and weariness, often in sleepless watching, in hunger and thirst, often without anything to eat; in cold and in nakedness. 28Not to mention other things, there is the crowding pressure of each day upon me, the care of all the churches. 29Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is caused to stumble, but I burn with indignation? 30If boast I must, it shall be concerning my weakness. 31The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed forever, knows that I am telling the truth. 32In Damascus, the governor under Aretas the King, kept guard over the city of the Damascus, to arrest me; 33but through an opening in the wall I was let down in a basket, and so escaped and out of his hands.¶