I wish you would bear with me in a little foolishness. Do bear with me!
For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I promised you in marriage to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him.
But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by its cunning, your minds may be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, 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 readily enough.
But I consider myself not in the least inferior to these “super-apostles.”
Even if I am unskilled in speaking, I am not so in knowledge; in fact, in every way we have made this evident to you in all things.
Have I committed a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I proclaimed God’s gospel to you free of charge?
I robbed other churches by accepting support from them in order to serve you.
And when I was present with you and was in need, I did not burden anyone, for what I lacked the brothers and sisters who came from Macedonia supplied.
I have kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so.
As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting will not be silenced in the regions of Achaia.
And why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!
And I will continue to boast, so that I may humiliate you, because you think you are so wise.
But I am not in the least inferior to these “super-apostles,” even though I am nothing.
They are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.
No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
So it is no surprise if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.
I repeat, let no one think me foolish; but if you do, then receive me as you would a fool, so that I too may boast a little.
What I am saying with this boasting is not the Lord’s command, but it is to show up the truthfulness of my boasting, for I am not inferior to the “super-apostles,” even if I am untrained in speech.
They are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.
And no wonder, for Satan himself disguises himself as an angel of light.
So it is no surprise if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will match their deeds.
I have worked harder, been in prison more frequently, faced death often.
Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes.
Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I spent adrift at sea.
On frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers and sisters;
in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, hunger and thirst, often without food, cold and exposure.
Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my anxiety for all the churches.
Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?
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