Would that ye could bear with me in a little foolishness: {Or, nay indeed bear with me}but indeed ye do bear with me.
For I am jealous over you with {Greek: a jealously of God.}a godly jealousy: for I espoused you to one husband, that I might present you as a pure virgin to Christ.
But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve in his craftiness, your {Greek: thoughts. See chapter 3:14.}minds should be corrupted from the simplicity and the purity that is toward Christ.
For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we did not preach, or if ye receive a different spirit, which ye did not receive, or a different {Greek: good tidings. See marginal note on chapter 2:12.}gospel, which ye did not accept, ye do well to bear with him.
For I reckon that I am not a whit behind {Or, those preeminent apostles}the very chiefest apostles.
But though I be rude in speech, yet am I not in knowledge; {Or, nay, in everything we have made it manifest among all men to you-ward}nay, in every way have we made this manifest unto you in all things.
Or did I commit a sin in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I {Greek: brought good tidings. See chapter 10:16}preached to you the gospel of God for nought?
I robbed other churches, taking wages of them that I might minister unto you;
and when I was present with you and was in want, I was not a burden on any man; for the brethren, when they came from Macedonia, supplied the measure of my want; and in everything I kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself.
As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this glorying in the regions of Achaia.
Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth.
But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off {Greek: the occasion of them.}occasion from them that desire an occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.
For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, fashioning themselves into apostles of Christ.
And no marvel; for even Satan fashioneth himself into an angel of light.
It is no great thing therefore if his ministers also fashion themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works.
I say again, Let no man think me foolish; but if ye do, yet as foolish receive me, that I also may glory a little.
That which I speak, I speak not after the Lord, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of glorying.
Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also.
For ye bear with the foolish gladly, being wise yourselves.
For ye bear with a man, if he bringeth you into bondage, if he devoureth you, if he taketh you captive, if he exalteth himself, if he smiteth you on the face.
I speak by way of disparagement, as though we had been weak. Yet whereinsoever any 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 seed of Abraham? so am I.
Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as one beside himself) I more; in labors more abundantly, in prisons more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in deaths oft.
Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day have I been in the deep;
in journeyings often, in perils of rivers, in perils of robbers, in perils from my {Greek: race. Compare Acts 7:19.}countrymen, in perils from the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
in labor and travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
{Or, Besides the things which I omit Or, Besides the things that come out of course}Besides those things that are without, there is that which presseth upon me daily, anxiety for all the churches.
Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is caused to stumble, and I burn not?
If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things that concern my weakness.
{Or, God and the Father See Romans 15:6.}The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed {Greek: unto the ages.}for evermore knoweth that I lie not.
In Damascus the {Greek: ethnarch.}governor under Aretas the king guarded the city of the Damascenes in order to take me:
and through a window was I let down in a basket by the wall, and escaped his hands.
Querverweise zu 2. Korinther 11,18 2Kor 11,18
But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off {Greek: the occasion of them.}occasion from them that desire an occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.
On behalf of such a one will I glory: but on mine own behalf I will not glory, save in my weaknesses.
I speak by way of disparagement, as though we had been weak. Yet whereinsoever any 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 seed of Abraham? so am I.
Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as one beside himself) I more; in labors more abundantly, in prisons more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in deaths oft.
For if I should desire to glory, I shall not be foolish; for I shall speak the truth: but I forbear, lest any man should account of me above that which he seeth me to be, or heareth from me.
For we are not bold {Greek: to judge ourselves among, or to judge ourselves with.}to number or compare ourselves with certain of them that commend themselves: but they themselves, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are without understanding.
But we will not glory beyond our measure, but according to the measure of the {Or, limit Greek: measuring-rod.}province which God apportioned to us as a measure, to reach even unto you.
For we stretch not ourselves overmuch, as though we reached not unto you: for we {Or, were the first to come}came even as far as unto you in the {Greek: good tidings. See marginal note on chapter 2:12.}gospel of Christ:
not glorying beyond our measure, that is, in other men's labors; but having hope that, as your faith groweth, we shall be magnified in you according to our {Or, limit Greek: measuring-rod.}province unto further abundance,
so as to {Greek: bring good tidings. Compare Matthew 11:5.}preach the gospel even unto the parts beyond you, and not to glory in another's {Or, limit Greek: measuring-rod.}province in regard of things ready to our hand.
{Jeremiah 9:24.}But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.
And he hath said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my power is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may {Or, cover me Greek: spread a tabernacle over me. See Revelation 7:15.}rest upon me.
Thus saith Jehovah, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches;
I am become foolish: ye compelled me; for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing was I behind {Or, those preeminent apostles}the very chiefest apostles, though I am nothing.
but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he hath understanding, and knoweth me, that I am Jehovah who exerciseth lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith Jehovah.
We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye have glory, but we have dishonor.
For, {Isaiah 40:6 ff.}All flesh is as grass,And all the glory thereof as the flower of grass.The grass withereth, and the flower falleth: