[continued from previous message]   
      
   12 (1Co 9:12) And I will continue doing what I am doing, that I may cut off   
   the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be found equal to us   
   in what they boast about.   
   13 (Rev 2:2; Gal 1:7) For such are false apostles and deceitful workers,   
   disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.   
   14 (Gal 1:8) And no wonder! For even Satan disguises himself as an angel   
   of light.   
   15 (Php 3:19; 2Co 3:9) Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also   
   disguise themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end will be   
   according to their works.   
      
   [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.   
      
   Paul's Sufferings as an Apostle   
      
   16 (2Co 11:1; 12:6) I say again, let no one think that I am a fool.   
   Otherwise, at least receive me as a fool, so that I also may boast a little.   
   17 (1Co 7:12; 2Co 9:4) What I speak, I speak not according to the Lord, but   
   as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.   
   18 Seeing that many boast according to the flesh, I also will boast.   
   19 (1Co 4:10) For you tolerate fools gladly, seeing you yourselves are wise.   
   20 (Gal 2:4; 4:3) For you permit it if a man brings you into bondage, if a   
   man devours you, if a man takes from you, if a man exalts himself, or if a   
   man strikes you on the face.   
   21 (2Co 10:10; 10:1-2) I say to my reproach that we were too weak for that.   
   But whenever anyone is bold (I speak foolishly), I am bold also.   
   22 (Php 3:5; Ro 11:1) Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites?   
   So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I.   
   23 (1Co 15:10; 2Co 6:4-5) Are they servants of Christ? I speak as a fool.   
   I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure,   
   in prisons more frequently, in deaths often.   
   24 Five times I received from the Jews forty lashes minus one.   
   25 (Ac 14:19) Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned;   
   three times I suffered shipwreck; a night and a day I have been in the deep;   
   26 (Ac 14:5; 13:50; 17:5) in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils   
   of robbers, in perils by my own countrymen, in perils by the Gentiles, in   
   perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in   
   perils among false brothers;   
   27 (2Co 6:5; Php 4:12; 1Th 2:9) in weariness and painfulness, in   
   sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, and in cold   
   and nakedness.   
   28 Beside the external things, the care of all the churches pressures   
   me daily.   
   29 (1Co 8:13; 9:22) Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is led into sin,   
   and I am not distressed?   
   30 (1Co 2:3) If I must boast, I will boast of the things which concern   
   my weakness.   
   31 (Ro 9:5; Jn 10:30) The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,   
   who is blessed forevermore, knows that I am not lying.   
   32 In Damascus the governor under King Aretas secured   
   the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desiring to arrest me.   
   33 (Ac 9:25) But I was let down by the wall through a window in a basket   
   and escaped his hands.   
      
   [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.   
      
   2 Corinthians 12   
      
   Visions and Revelations   
      
   1 (Gal 1:12; 2:2) Doubtless it is not profitable for me to boast.   
   So I will move on to visions and revelations of the Lord.   
   2 (2Co 11:11; Ac 22:17) I knew a man in Christ over fourteen years ag   
   -whether in the body or out of the body I cannot tell, God knows-such   
   a one was caught up to the third heaven.   
   3 And I knew that such a man-whether in the body or out of the body I cannot   
   tell, God knows-   
   4 (Lk 23:43; Rev 2:7) was caught up into paradise and heard inexpressible   
   words not permitted for a man to say.   
   5 Of such a person, I will boast. Yet of myself I will not boast, except in   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)