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
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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
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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
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For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles
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But though I be rude in speech yet not in knowledge but we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things
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Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely
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I robbed other churches taking wages of them to do you service
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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
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As the truth of Christ is in me no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia
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Wherefore because I love you not God knoweth
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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
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For such are false apostles deceitful workers transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ
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And no marvel for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light
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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
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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
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That which I speak I speak it not after the Lord but as it were foolishly in this confidence of boasting
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Seeing that many glory after the flesh I will glory also
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For ye suffer fools gladly seeing ye yourselves are wise
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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
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I speak as concerning reproach as though we had been weak Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold I speak foolishly I am bold also
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Are they Hebrews so am I Are they Israelites so am I Are they the seed of Abraham so am I
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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
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Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one
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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
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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
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In weariness and painfulness in watchings often in hunger and thirst in fastings often in cold and nakedness
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Beside those things that are without that which cometh upon me daily the care of all the churches
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Who is weak and I am not weak who is offended and I burn not
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If I must needs glory I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities
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The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which is blessed for evermore knoweth that I lie not
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In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison desirous to apprehend me
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And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall and escaped his hands