2 Corinthians 11:16-33.
2 Corinthians 11:16-33
Paul's Sufferings for Christ
"I don't want any of you to think that I am a fool. But if you do,
then let me be a fool and brag a little. When I do all this bragging,
I do it as a fool and not for the Lord. Yet if others want to brag
about what they have done, so will I. And since you are so smart, you
will gladly put up with a fool. In fact, you let people make slaves
of you and cheat you and steal from you. Why, you even let them strut
around and slap you in the face. I am ashamed to say that we are too
weak to behave in such a way. If they can brag, so can I, but it is a
foolish thing to do. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Jews? So am
I. Are they from the family of Abraham? Well, so am I. Are they
servants of Christ? I am a fool to talk this way, but I serve him
better than they do. I have worked harder and have been put in jail
more times. I have been beaten with whips more and have been in danger
of death more often. Five times the Jews gave me thirty-nine lashes
with a whip. Three times the Romans beat me with a big stick, and
once my enemies stoned me. I have been shipwrecked three times, and I
even had to spend a night and a day in the sea. During my many
travels, I have been in danger from rivers, robbers, my own people,
and foreigners. My life has been in danger in cities, in deserts, at
sea, and with people who only pretended to be the Lord's followers.
I have worked and struggled and spent many sleepless nights. I have
gone hungry and thirsty and often had nothing to eat. I have been cold
from not having enough clothes to keep me warm. Besides everything
else, each day I am burdened down, worrying about all the churches.
When others are weak, I am weak too. When others are tricked into sin,
I get angry. If I have to brag, I will brag about how weak I am. God,
the Father of our Lord Jesus, knows I am not lying. And God is to be
praised forever! The governor of Damascus at the time of King Aretas
had the city gates guarded, so that he could capture me. But I
escaped by being let down in a basket through a window in the city
wall."
God bless you.
Paul's Sufferings for Christ
"I don't want any of you to think that I am a fool. But if you do,
then let me be a fool and brag a little. When I do all this bragging,
I do it as a fool and not for the Lord. Yet if others want to brag
about what they have done, so will I. And since you are so smart, you
will gladly put up with a fool. In fact, you let people make slaves
of you and cheat you and steal from you. Why, you even let them strut
around and slap you in the face. I am ashamed to say that we are too
weak to behave in such a way. If they can brag, so can I, but it is a
foolish thing to do. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Jews? So am
I. Are they from the family of Abraham? Well, so am I. Are they
servants of Christ? I am a fool to talk this way, but I serve him
better than they do. I have worked harder and have been put in jail
more times. I have been beaten with whips more and have been in danger
of death more often. Five times the Jews gave me thirty-nine lashes
with a whip. Three times the Romans beat me with a big stick, and
once my enemies stoned me. I have been shipwrecked three times, and I
even had to spend a night and a day in the sea. During my many
travels, I have been in danger from rivers, robbers, my own people,
and foreigners. My life has been in danger in cities, in deserts, at
sea, and with people who only pretended to be the Lord's followers.
I have worked and struggled and spent many sleepless nights. I have
gone hungry and thirsty and often had nothing to eat. I have been cold
from not having enough clothes to keep me warm. Besides everything
else, each day I am burdened down, worrying about all the churches.
When others are weak, I am weak too. When others are tricked into sin,
I get angry. If I have to brag, I will brag about how weak I am. God,
the Father of our Lord Jesus, knows I am not lying. And God is to be
praised forever! The governor of Damascus at the time of King Aretas
had the city gates guarded, so that he could capture me. But I
escaped by being let down in a basket through a window in the city
wall."
God bless you.
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