1 WOULD to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me.
2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.
5 For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.
6 But though I 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 in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?
8 I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service.
9 And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the 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 As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.
11 Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth.
12 But what I do, that I will do, that 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 false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
16 I say again, Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little.
17 That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.
18 Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also.
19 For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise.
20 For ye suffer, if 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 weak. Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold also.
22 Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.
23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I 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 forty stripes save one.
25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
26 In 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 false brethren;
27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.
29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?
30 If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.
31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.
32 In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me:
33 And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.

1Would to God you could beare with mee a little in my folly, & in deede beare with me.

2For I am iealous ouer you with godly iealousie, for I haue espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

3But I feare lest by any meanes, as the Serpent beguiled Eue through his subtilty, so your mindes should bee corrupted from the simplicitie that is in Christ.

4For if he that commeth preacheth another Iesus whome wee haue not preached, or if yee receiue another spirit, which ye haue not receiued, or another Gospel, which ye haue not accepted, yee might well beare with him.

5For, I suppose, I was not a whit behinde the very chiefest Apostles.

6But though I be rude in speach, yet not in knowledge; but we haue bene throughly made manifest among you in all things.

7Haue I committed an offence in abasing my selfe, that you might be exalted, because I haue preached to you the Gospel of God freely?

8I robbed other Churches, taking wages of them to doe you seruice.

9And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: For that which was lacking to mee, the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied, and in all things I haue kept my selfe from being burthensome to you, and so will I keepe my selfe.

10As the trueth of Christ is in mee, no man shall stop mee of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.

11Wherefore? because I loue you not? God knoweth.

12But what I doe, that I wil doe, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion, that wherein they glory, they may bee found euen as we.

13For such are false Apostles, deceitfull workers, transforming themselues into the Apostles of Christ.

14And no marueile, for Sathan himselfe is transformed into an Angel of light.

15Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also bee transformed as the ministers of righteousnesse, whose end shall be according to their workes.

16I say againe, Let no man thinke mee a foole; if otherwise, yet as a foole receiue me, that I may boast my selfe a little.

17That which I speake, I speake it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly in this confidence of boasting.

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

19For ye suffer fooles gladly, seeing ye your selues are wise.

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

21I speake as concerning reproch, as though we had bene weake: howbeit, wherein soeuer any is bold, I speake foolishly, I am bold also.

22Are they Hebrewes? so am I: are they Israelites? so am I: are they the seed of Abraham? so am I:

23Are they ministers of Christ? I speake as a foole, I am more: in labors more abundant: in stripes aboue measure: in prisons more frequent: in deaths oft.

24Of the Iewes fiue times receiued I forty stripes saue one.

25Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned: thrice I suffered shipwracke: a night and a day I haue bene in the deepe.

26In iourneying often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by my owne countreymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the citie, in perils in the wildernesse, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren,

27In wearinesse and painfulnesse, in watchings often, in hunger & thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakednes.

28Besides those things that are without, that which commeth vpon me dayly, the care of all the Churches.

29Who is weake, and I am not weake? who is offended, and I burne not?

30If I must needes glory, I will glory of the things which concerne mine infirmities.

31The God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, which is blessed for euermore, knoweth that I lie not.

32In Damascus the gouernour vnder Aretas the King, kept the citie with a garison, desirous to apprehend mee.

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

 

1 If only you would put up with a little foolishness from me! Please put up with me. 2 For I am jealous of you with the jealousy of God, since I betrothed you to one husband to present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 3 But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts may be corrupted from a sincere (and pure) commitment to Christ. 4 For if someone comes and preaches another Jesus than the one we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it well enough. 5 For I think that I am not in any way inferior to these "superapostles." 6 Even if I am untrained in speaking, I am not so in knowledge; in every way we have made this plain to you in all things. 7 Did I make a mistake when I humbled myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you without charge? 8 I plundered other churches by accepting from them in order to minister to you. 9 And when I was with you and in need, I did not burden anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my needs. So I refrained and will refrain from burdening you in any way. 10 By the truth of Christ in me, this boast of mine shall not be silenced in the regions of Achaia. 11 And why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do! 12 And what I do I will continue to do, in order to end this pretext of those who seek a pretext for being regarded as we are in the mission of which they boast. 13 For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, who masquerade as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light. 15 So it is not strange that his ministers also masquerade as ministers of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds. 16 I repeat, no one should consider me foolish; but if you do, accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little. 17 What I am saying I am not saying according to the Lord but as in foolishness, in this boastful state. 18 Since many boast according to the flesh, I too will boast. 19 For you gladly put up with fools, since you are wise yourselves. 20 For you put up with it if someone enslaves you, or devours you, or gets the better of you, or puts on airs, or slaps you in the face. 21 To my shame I say that we were too weak! But what anyone dares to boast of (I am speaking in foolishness) I also dare. 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I am talking like an insane person.) I am still more, with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, far worse beatings, and numerous brushes with death. 24 Five times at the hands of the Jews I received forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I passed a night and a day on the deep; 26 on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own race, dangers from Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, dangers among false brothers; 27 in toil and hardship, through many sleepless nights, through hunger and thirst, through frequent fastings, through cold and exposure. 28 And apart from these things, there is the daily pressure upon me of my anxiety for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is led to sin, and I am not indignant? 30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus knows, he who is blessed forever, that I do not lie. 32 At Damascus, the governor under King Aretas guarded the city of Damascus, in order to seize me, 33 but I was lowered in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his hands.

v1,2. Paul considers boasting foolish, but he desires the Corinthians to bear with them in this, because he is as concerned about their relationship to Christ as he would be of their marriage relationship if he had been responsible for their espousal. 
v3,4. He compares the tactics of his opponents to those of Satan in deceiving Eve. The false teachers were making three errors which some people accepted.
a. They were presenting Jesus in an incorrect way, not as Paul taught.
b. They were advocating another spirit than the Holy Spirit. (Ilus. of Neb. man “shaking with the Spirit”, but I asked him what spirit or spirits he was shaking with.)
c. They were proclaiming a different gospel than what Paul preached. Legalism?
v5,6. Paul defends himself as not being inferior to these super false apostles with their fine sounding, unproved theories. He concedes that in their opinion his speech might be unpolished, not a great orator. But he had received the gospel directly from the Lord, and he had demonstrated it’s truth in his life and character before them.
v7-10. So he would not be a burden to them, he had worked to support himself, and some seemed to think that lowered his professional appearance. He accepted support from Macedonian churches in order that these people might hear the Word. His boast of independence could not be denied, probably in contrast to false teachers.
11-15. Paul’s generosity to them was prompted by love. He was stating these things to counteract these misleading false teachers. He compares there tactics to Satan’s appealing way to deceive and labels them as ministers of Satan.
v16-19. Paul does not want to boast, but resorts to this tactic he calls foolish in order to refute the boasting of the false teachers.
20-22. The people tolerated the strict and abusive teachings of the false teachers rather than the mildness of Paul, but he comes back in boldness. He could boast of his heritage just as much as they, even more so, Phil. 3:5.
23-33. Where the false teachers were scholarly and refined, Paul  earned the right to use his apostolic authority by the many hardships he endured to serve God. He would do his glorying in those things which are listed verse by verse. Had any of them doubted him, he appeals to the witness of God, v31. Large baskets were used for various purposes, even lowering men down into a well. Many houses were on the wall and and with one of those baskets it would be fairly easy to be let down and escape the city. Remember spies, Josh. 2:15 and David, 1 Samuel 19:12.