2Cor.11.16

Let me come back to where I started--and don't hold it against me if I continue to sound a little foolish. Or if you'd rather, just accept that I am a fool and let me rant on a little.

2Cor.11.16

I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool. But if you do, then receive me just as you would a fool, so that I may do a little boasting.

2Cor.11.16

I say again, let no one think me a fool. If otherwise, at least receive me as a fool, that I also may boast a little.

2Cor.11.16

Once again, don't think that I have lost my wits to talk like this. But even if you do, listen to me, as you would to a foolish person, while I also boast a little.

2Cor.11.17

I didn't learn this kind of talk from Christ.

2Cor.11.17

In this self-confident boasting I am not talking as the Lord would, but as a fool.

2Cor.11.17

What I speak, I speak not according to the Lord, but as it were, foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.

2Cor.11.17

Such bragging is not something the Lord wants, but I am acting like a fool.

2Cor.11.18

Oh, no, it's a bad habit I picked up from the three-ring preachers that are so popular these days.

2Cor.11.18

Since many are boasting in the way the world does, I too will boast.

2Cor.11.18

Seeing that many boast according to the flesh, I also will boast.

2Cor.11.18

And since others boast about their human achievements, I will, too.

2Cor.11.19

Since you sit there in the judgment seat observing all these shenanigans, you can afford to humor an occasional fool who happens along.

2Cor.11.19

You gladly put up with fools since you are so wise!

2Cor.11.19

For you put up with fools gladly, since you yourselves are wise!

2Cor.11.19

After all, you, who think you are so wise, enjoy listening to fools!

2Cor.11.20

You have such admirable tolerance for impostors who rob your freedom, rip you off, steal you blind, put you down--even slap your face!

2Cor.11.20

In fact, you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or pushes himself forward or slaps you in the face.

2Cor.11.20

For you put up with it if one brings you into bondage, if one devours you, if one takes from you, if one exalts himself, if one strikes you on the face.

2Cor.11.20

You put up with it when they make you their slaves, take everything you have, take advantage of you, put on airs, and slap you in the face.

2Cor.11.21

I shouldn't admit it to you, but our stomachs aren't strong enough to tolerate that kind of stuff. Since you admire the egomaniacs of the pulpit so much (remember, this is your old friend, the fool, talking), let me try my hand at it.

2Cor.11.21

To my shame I admit that we were too weak for that!

2Cor.11.21

To our shame I say that we were too weak for that! But in whatever anyone is bold--I speak foolishly--I am bold also.

2Cor.11.21

I'm ashamed to say that we were not strong enough to do that! But whatever they dare to boast about--I'm talking like a fool again--I can boast about it, too.

2Cor.11.22

Do they brag of being Hebrews, Israelites, the pure race of Abraham? I'm their match.

2Cor.11.22

What anyone else dares to boast about--I am speaking as a fool--I also dare to boast about. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham's descendants? So am I.

2Cor.11.22

Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I.

2Cor.11.22

They say they are Hebrews, do they? So am I. And they say they are Israelites? So am I. And they are descendants of Abraham? So am I.

2Cor.11.23

Are they servants of Christ? I can go them one better. (I can't believe I'm saying these things. It's crazy to talk this way! But I started, and I'm going to finish.) I've worked much harder, been jailed more often, beaten up more times than I can count, and at death's door time after time.

2Cor.11.23

Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again.

2Cor.11.23

Are they ministers of Christ?--I speak as a fool--I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often.

2Cor.11.23

They say they serve Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in jail more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again.

2Cor.11.24

I've been flogged five times with the Jews' thirty-nine lashes,

2Cor.11.24

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

2Cor.11.24

From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one.

2Cor.11.24

Five different times the Jews gave me thirty-nine lashes.

2Cor.11.25

beaten by Roman rods three times, pummeled with rocks once. I've been shipwrecked three times, and immersed in the open sea for a night and a day.

2Cor.11.25

Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea,

2Cor.11.25

Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep;

2Cor.11.25

Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea.

2Cor.11.26

In hard traveling year in and year out, I've had to ford rivers, fend off robbers, struggle with friends, struggle with foes. I've been at risk in the city, at risk in the country, endangered by desert sun and sea storm, and betrayed by those I thought were my brothers.

2Cor.11.26

I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers.

2Cor.11.26

in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;

2Cor.11.26

I have traveled many weary miles. I have faced danger from flooded rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the stormy seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be Christians but are not.

2Cor.11.27

I've known drudgery and hard labor, many a long and lonely night without sleep, many a missed meal, blasted by the cold, naked to the weather.

2Cor.11.27

I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.

2Cor.11.27

in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness--

2Cor.11.27

I have lived with weariness and pain and sleepless nights. Often I have been hungry and thirsty and have gone without food. Often I have shivered with cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.

2Cor.11.28

And that's not the half of it, when you throw in the daily pressures and anxieties of all the churches.

2Cor.11.28

Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.

2Cor.11.28

besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.

2Cor.11.28

Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of how the churches are getting along.

2Cor.11.29

When someone gets to the end of his rope, I feel the desperation in my bones. When someone is duped into sin, an angry fire burns in my gut.

2Cor.11.29

Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?

2Cor.11.29

Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?

2Cor.11.29

Who is weak without my feeling that weakness? Who is led astray, and I do not burn with anger?

2Cor.11.30

If I have to "brag" about myself, I'll brag about the humiliations that make me like Jesus.

2Cor.11.30

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

2Cor.11.30

If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity.

2Cor.11.30

If I must boast, I would rather boast about the things that show how weak I am.

2Cor.11.31

The eternal and blessed God and Father of our Master Jesus knows I'm not lying.

2Cor.11.31

The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever, knows that I am not lying.

2Cor.11.31

The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.

2Cor.11.31

God, the Father of our Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever, knows I tell the truth.

2Cor.11.32

Remember the time I was in Damascus and the governor of King Aretas posted guards at the city gates to arrest me?

2Cor.11.32

In Damascus the governor under King Aretas had the city of the Damascenes guarded in order to arrest me.

2Cor.11.32

In Damascus the governor, under Aretas the king, was guarding the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desiring to arrest me;

2Cor.11.32

When I was in Damascus, the governor under King Aretas kept guards at the city gates to catch me.

2Cor.11.33

I crawled through a window in the wall, was let down in a basket, and had to run for my life.

2Cor.11.33

But I was lowered in a basket from a window in the wall and slipped through his hands.

2Cor.11.33

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

2Cor.11.33

But I was lowered in a basket through a window in the city wall, and that's how I got away!