Day 54 of 365

¹I wish that you would bear with me in a little foolishness, but indeed you do bear with me.

²For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy. For I married you to one husband, that I might present you as a pure virgin to Christ.

³But I am afraid that somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve in his craftiness, so your minds might be corrupted from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

⁴For if he who comes preaches another Jesus, whom we did not proclaim, or if you receive a different spirit, which you did not receive, or a different "good news", which you did not accept, you put up with that well enough.

⁵For I reckon that I am not at all behind the very best apostles.

⁶Even though I am unskilled in speech, I am not unskilled in knowledge. But in every way we have made this known to you in all things.

⁷Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached to you God's Good News free of charge?

⁸I robbed other churches, taking wages from them that I might serve you.

⁹When I was present with you and was in need, I was not a burden on anyone, for the brothers, when they came from Macedonia, supplied the measure of my need. In everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and I will continue to do so.

¹⁰As the truth of Christ is in me, no one will stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia.

¹¹Why? Because I do not love you? God knows.

¹²But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them that desire an occasion, that in which they boast, they may be found even as we.

¹³For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as Christ's apostles.

¹⁴And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.

¹⁵It is no great thing therefore if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

¹⁶I say again, let no one think me foolish. But if so, yet receive me as foolish, that I also may boast a little.

¹⁷That which I speak, I do not speak according to the Lord, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of boasting.

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

¹⁹For you bear with the foolish gladly, being wise.

²⁰For you bear with a man, if he brings you into bondage, if he devours you, if he takes you captive, if he exalts himself, if he strikes you on the face.

²¹I speak by way of disparagement, as though we had been weak. Yet however any is bold (I speak in foolishness), I am bold also.

²²Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I.

²³Are they servants of Christ? (I speak as one beside himself) I am more so; in labors more abundantly, in prisons more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in deaths often.

²⁴Five times from the Jews I received forty stripes minus one.

²⁵Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I suffered shipwreck. I have been a night and a day in the deep.

²⁶I have been in travels often, perils of rivers, perils of robbers, perils from my countrymen, perils from the Gentiles, perils in the city, perils in the wilderness, perils in the sea, perils among false brothers;

²⁷in labor and travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, and in cold and nakedness.

²⁸Besides those things that are outside, there is that which presses on me daily, anxiety for all the churches.

²⁹Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is caused to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?

³⁰If I must boast, I will boast of the things that concern my weakness.

³¹The God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, he who is blessed forevermore, knows that I do not lie.

³²In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king guarded the city of the Damascenes to arrest me.

³³Through a window I was let down in a basket by the wall, and escaped his hands.

¹It is necessary to boast, though it is not profitable. But I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

²I know a man in Christ, fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I do not know, or whether out of the body, I do not know; God knows), such a one caught up into the third heaven.

³I know such a man (whether in the body, or apart from the body, I do not know; God knows),

⁴how he was caught up into Paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

⁵On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in my weaknesses.

⁶For if I would desire to boast, I will not be foolish; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, so that no man may think more of me than that which he sees in me, or hears from me.

⁷By reason of the exceeding greatness of the revelations, that I should not be exalted excessively, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, that I should not be exalted excessively.

⁸Concerning this thing, I begged the Lord three times that it might depart from me.

⁹He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me.

¹⁰Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong.

¹¹I have become foolish. You compelled me, for I ought to have been commended by you, for in nothing was I inferior to the very best apostles, though I am nothing.

¹²Truly the signs of an apostle were worked among you in all patience, in signs and wonders and mighty works.

¹³For what is there in which you were made inferior to the rest of the churches, unless it is that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong.

¹⁴Behold, this is the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you; for I seek not what is yours, but you. For the children ought not to save up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

¹⁵I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more abundantly, am I loved the less?

¹⁶But be it so, I did not myself burden you. But, being crafty, I caught you with deception.

¹⁷Did I take advantage of you by anyone of them whom I have sent to you?

¹⁸I exhorted Titus, and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus take any advantage of you? Did not we walk in the same spirit? Did not we walk in the same steps?

¹⁹Have you been thinking all this time that we have been defending ourselves before you? In the sight of God we speak in Christ; and all things, beloved, are for your edifying.

²⁰For I am afraid that by any means, when I come, I might find you not the way I want to, and that I might be found by you as you do not desire; that by any means there would be strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, whisperings, proud thoughts, riots;

²¹that again when I come my God would humble me before you, and I would mourn for many of those who have sinned before now, and not repented of the uncleanness and sexual immorality and lustfulness which they committed.

¹This is the third time I am coming to you. "At the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established."

²I have said beforehand, and I do say beforehand, as when I was present the second time, so now, being absent, to those who have sinned before now, and to all the rest, that, if I come again, I will not spare;

³seeing that you seek a proof of Christ who speaks in me; who toward you is not weak, but is powerful in you.

⁴For indeed he was crucified through weakness, yet he lives through the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we will live with him through the power of God toward you.

⁵Test your own selves, whether you are in the faith. Test your own selves. Or do you not know as to your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you?-unless indeed you are disqualified.

⁶But I hope that you will know that we are not disqualified.

⁷Now we pray to God that you do no evil; not that we may appear approved, but that you may do that which is honorable, though we are as reprobate.

⁸For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.

⁹For we rejoice when we are weak and you are strong. And this we also pray for, even your perfecting.

¹⁰For this cause I write these things while absent, that I may not deal sharply when present, according to the authority which the Lord gave me for building up, and not for tearing down.

¹¹Finally, brothers, rejoice. Be perfected, be comforted, be of the same mind, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.

¹²Greet one another with a holy kiss.

¹³All the saints greet you.

¹⁴The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.

¹Save me, God, by your name. Vindicate me in your might.

²Hear my prayer, God. Listen to the words of my mouth.

³For strangers have risen up against me. Violent men have sought after my soul. They haven't set God before them. Selah.

⁴Behold, God is my helper. The Lord is the one who sustains my soul.

⁵He will repay the evil to my enemies. Destroy them in your truth.

⁶With a free will offering, I will sacrifice to you. I will give thanks to your name, Lord, for it is good.

⁷For he has delivered me out of all trouble. My eye has seen triumph over my enemies.

¹When you sit to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before you;

²put a knife to your throat, if you are a man given to appetite.

³Do not be desirous of his dainties, seeing they are deceitful food.

⁴Do not weary yourself to be rich. In your wisdom, show restraint.

⁵Why do you set your eyes on that which is not? For it certainly sprouts wings like an eagle and flies in the sky.

⁶Do not eat the food of him who has a stingy eye, and do not crave his delicacies:

⁷for as he thinks about the cost, so he is. "Eat and drink!" he says to you, but his heart is not with you.

⁸The morsel which you have eaten you shall vomit up, and lose your good words.

⁹Do not speak in the ears of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.

¹⁰Do not move the ancient boundary stone. Do not encroach on the fields of the fatherless:

¹¹for their Defender is strong. He will plead their case against you.

¹²Apply your heart to instruction, and your ears to the words of knowledge.

¹³Do not withhold correction from a child. If you punish him with the rod, he will not die.

¹⁴Punish him with the rod, and save his soul from Sheol.

¹⁵My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart will be glad, even mine:

¹⁶yes, my heart will rejoice, when your lips speak what is right.

¹⁷Do not let your heart envy sinners; but rather fear the Lord all the day long.

¹⁸Indeed surely there is a future hope, and your hope will not be cut off.

¹⁹Listen, my son, and be wise, and keep your heart on the right path!

²⁰Do not be among ones drinking too much wine, or those who gorge themselves on meat:

²¹for the drunkard and the glutton shall become poor; and drowsiness clothes them in rags.

²²Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.

²³Buy the truth, and do not sell it. Get wisdom, discipline, and understanding.

²⁴The father of the righteous has great joy. Whoever fathers a wise child delights in him.

²⁵Let your father and your mother be glad! Let her who bore you rejoice!

²⁶My son, give me your heart; and let your eyes keep in my ways.

²⁷For a prostitute is a deep pit; and a wayward wife is a narrow well.

²⁸Yes, she lies in wait like a robber, and increases the unfaithful among men.

²⁹Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?

³⁰Those who stay long at the wine; those who go to seek out mixed wine.

³¹Do not look at the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly.

³²In the end, it bites like a snake, and poisons like a viper.

³³Your eyes will see strange things, and your mind will imagine confusing things.

³⁴Yes, you will be as he who lies down in the midst of the sea, or as he who lies on top of the rigging:

³⁵"They hit me, and I was not hurt! They beat me, and I do not feel it! When will I wake up? I can do it again. I can find another."