2 Corinthians 11

Paul warns that false apostles disguise themselves as ministers of righteousness, just as Satan transforms himself into an angel of light. He reluctantly boasts of his sufferings — beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, in perils on every side — to show that his credentials surpass those of the false teachers troubling Corinth.

v	King James Version	Modern English
1	Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me.	I wish you would bear with me a little in my folly — and indeed you do 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.	For I am jealous over You with a godly jealousy. I have promised You to one husband, to 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.	But I fear that, just as the serpent beguiled Eve by his subtilty, so your minds may 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.	For if someone comes preaching another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if You receive another spirit, which You have not received, or another gospel, which You have not accepted — you bear with Him easily enough.
5	For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.	For I consider that I am in no way 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.	Even though I am untrained in speech, I am not so in knowledge — but in every way we have been thoroughly made known to 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?	Did I commit an offence by humbling myself so that You might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to You free of charge?
8	I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service.	I robbed other churches, taking wages from them, to serve You.
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.	And when I was with You and in need, I was a burden to no one. For what I lacked, the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied. And in everything I have kept myself from being burdensome to You, and so will I continue to keep myself.
10	As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.	As the truth of Christ is in me, no one shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.
11	Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth.	Why? Because I do not love You? God knows I do.
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.	But what I am doing, I will continue to do, in order to cut off the opportunity from those who want one — so that in their boasting they may be found just as we are.
13	For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.	For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.
14	And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.	And no wonder — 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.	It is no great thing, then, if his ministers also are transformed as 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.	I say again, let no man think me a fool. But if you do, then receive me as a fool, so that I also may boast a little.
17	That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.	What I am saying, I do not say according to the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.
18	Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also.	Since many boast after the flesh, I will boast also.
19	For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise.	For you suffer fools gladly, since you yourselves are so 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.	For you put up with it if a man brings you into bondage, if a man devours you, if a man takes from you, if a man exalts himself, if a man strikes 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.	To my shame, I say that we were too weak for that! But in whatever anyone 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.	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.	Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool.) I am more so — in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more often, in deaths frequently.
24	Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.	From the Jews five times I received 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;	Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have been adrift on 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;	I have been in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils from my own countrymen, in perils from the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brothers;
27	In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.	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.	Besides all those outward things, there is what comes on me daily: the care of all the churches.
29	Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?	Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is offended, and I do not burn with grief?
30	If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.	If I must boast, I will boast of the things which concern my weaknesses.
31	The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.	The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is blessed forevermore, knows that I do not lie.
32	In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me:	In Damascus the governor under King Aretas guarded the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, wanting to arrest me;
33	And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.	and I was let down through a window in a basket by the wall, and so escaped His hands.