Self-interpreting Bible

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2 Corinthians 11

1Paul unwillingly entereth upon a commendation of himself, out of jealousy lest the Corinthians should be perverted by false apostles from the pure doctrine of Christ. 5He sheweth that he was in all respects equal to the chiefest apostles; 7that he declined being chargeable to them not for want of love toward them, but to cut off occasion from those deceitful workers of taking shelter under his example: 16that he was not inferior to those, whom they so patiently submitted to, in any of their boasted prerogatives, 23but as a minister of Christ, in labours and sufferings for the gospel's sake, was abundantly their superior.

1 *WOULD to God ye could abear with me a little in my folly: and indeed 1bear with me.

2 For I am bjealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have cespoused you to one husband, that I may present you das a chaste virgin to Christ.

3 But I efear, lest by any means, fas the serpent beguiled Eve through his *subtilty, gso your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

4 For if hhe that cometh preacheth ianother Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or janother gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear 2with him.

5 For I suppose I kwas *not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.

6 But though lI be *rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things.

7 Have I committed an offence min abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?

8 nI robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service.

9 And when I was present with you, and wanted, oI was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me pthe brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself.

10 qAs the truth of Christ is in me, 3no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.

11 Wherefore? rbecause I love you not? sGod knoweth.

12 But what I do, that I will do, tthat I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.

13 For such are ufalse apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.

14 And no marvel; for vSatan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as wthe ministers of righteousness; xwhose end shall be according to their works.

16 I say again, yLet no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool 4receive me, that I may boast myself a little.

17 That which I speak, zI speak it not after the Lord, but as it were afoolishly, in this confidence of boasting.

18 bSeeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also.

19 For cye suffer fools gladly, dseeing ye yourselves are wise.

20 For ye suffer, eif a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face.

21 I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been fweak. Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) gI am bold also.

22 Are they Hebrews? hso am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.

23 Are they iministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) jI am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.

24 Of the Jews five times received I kforty stripes *save one.

25 Thrice was I lbeaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;

26 mIn journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among nfalse brethren;

27 oIn weariness and *painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

28 pBeside those things that are *without, that which cometh upon me daily, qthe care of all the churches.

29 rWho is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?

30 If I must needs glory, sI will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.

31 tThe God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which uis blessed for evermore, vknoweth that I lie not.

32 wIn Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to *apprehend me:

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