Paul and the False Apostles 1 UEB I wish that you could put up with me in some foolishness. But you are indeed putting up with me! BSB BSB: I hope you will put up with a little of my foolishness, but you are already doing that.
3 UEB But I am afraid that somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your thoughts might be led astray away from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. BSB BSB: I am afraid, however, that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may be led astray from your simple and pure devotion to Christ.
4 UEB For suppose that someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we preached. Or suppose that you receive a different spirit than what you received. Or suppose that you receive a different gospel than the one you received. You put up with these things well enough! BSB BSB: For if someone comes and proclaims a Jesus other than the One we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit than the One you received, or a different gospel than the one you accepted, you put up with it very easily.
5 UEB For I think that I am not in the least inferior to those so-called super-apostles. BSB BSB: I consider myself in no way inferior to those “super-apostles.”
6 UEB But even if I am untrained in giving speeches, I am not untrained in knowledge. In every way and in all things we have made this known to you. BSB BSB: Although I am not a polished speaker, I am certainly not lacking in knowledge. We have made this clear to you in every way possible.
7 UEB Did I sin by humbling myself so you might be exalted? For I freely preached the gospel of God to you. BSB BSB: Was it a sin for me to humble myself in order to exalt you, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge?
8 UEB I robbed other churches by accepting support from them so that I could serve you. BSB BSB: I robbed other churches by accepting their support in order to serve you.
9 UEB When I was with you and I was in need, I did not burden anyone. For my needs were met by the brothers who came from Macedonia. In everything I have kept myself from being a burden to you, and I will continue to do that. BSB BSB: And when I was with you and in need, I was not a burden to anyone; for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my needs. I have refrained from being a burden to you in any way, and I will continue to do so.
10 UEB As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be silenced in the parts of Achaia. BSB BSB: As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be silenced in the regions of Achaia.
11 UEB Why? Because I do not love you? God knows. BSB BSB: Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!
12 UEB And what I do I will keep doing, in order that I may take away the claim for criticizing me and the claim for which they want to boast—that they are found to be doing the same work that we are doing. BSB BSB: But I will keep on doing what I am doing, in order to undercut those who want an opportunity to be regarded as our equals in the things of which they boast.
13 UEB For such people are false apostles and deceitful workers. They disguise themselves as apostles of Christ. BSB BSB: For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.
14 UEB And this is no surprise, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. BSB BSB: And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.
15 UEB It is no great surprise if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their fate will be what their deeds deserve. BSB BSB: It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their actions.
Paul’s Suffering and Service (Colossians 1:24–29)
16 UEB I say again: Let no one think I am a fool. But if you do, receive me as a fool so I may boast a little. BSB BSB: I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool. But if you do, then receive me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little.
17 UEB What I am saying with this boastful confidence—I am not talking the way the Lord would—I am saying as a fool. BSB BSB: In this confident boasting of mine, I am not speaking as the Lord would, but as a fool.
18 UEB Since many people boast according to the flesh, I will also boast. BSB BSB: Since many are boasting according to the flesh, I too will boast.
19 UEB For you gladly put up with fools. You are wise yourselves! BSB BSB: For you gladly put up with fools, since you are so wise.
20 UEB For you put up with someone if he enslaves you, if he consumes you, if he takes advantage of you, if he considers himself better than you, or if he slaps you in the face. BSB BSB: In fact, you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or exalts himself or strikes you in the face.
21 UEB I will say to our shame that we were too weak to do that. Yet if anyone boasts—I am speaking like a fool—I too will boast. BSB BSB: To my shame I concede that we were too weak for that! Speaking as a fool, however, I can match what anyone else dares to boast about.
22 UEB Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. BSB BSB: Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I.
23 UEB Are they servants of Christ? (I speak as though I were out of my mind.) I am more. I have been in even more hard work, in far more prisons, in beatings beyond measure, in facing many dangers of death. BSB BSB: Are they servants of Christ? (I am speaking as if I were out of my mind.) I am so much more: in harder labor, in more imprisonments, in worse beatings, in frequent danger of death.
24 UEB From Jews I received five times the "forty lashes minus one." BSB BSB: Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.
25 UEB Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. I have spent a night and a day on the open sea. BSB BSB: Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked. I spent a night and a day in the open sea.
26 UEB I have been on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, in danger from robbers, in danger from my own people, in danger from the Gentiles, in danger in the city, in danger in the wilderness, in danger at sea, in danger from false brothers. BSB BSB: In my frequent journeys, I have been in danger from rivers and from bandits, in danger from my countrymen and from the Gentiles, in danger in the city and in the country, in danger on the sea and among false brothers,
27 UEB I have been at hard work and in hardship, in many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often in fasting, in cold and nakedness. BSB BSB: in labor and toil and often without sleep, in hunger and thirst and often without food, in cold and exposure.
28 UEB Apart from everything else, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. BSB BSB: Apart from these external trials, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.
29 UEB Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who has been caused to stumble, and I do not burn? BSB BSB: Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not burn with grief?
30 UEB If I must boast, I will boast about what shows my weaknesses. BSB BSB: If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.
31 UEB The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, the one who is praised forever, knows that I am not lying! BSB BSB: The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is forever worthy of praise, knows that I am not lying.
32 UEB At Damascus, the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of Damascus to arrest me. BSB BSB: In Damascus, the governor under King Aretas secured the city of the Damascenes in order to arrest me.
33 UEB But I was lowered in a basket through a window in the wall, and I escaped from his hands. BSB BSB: But I was lowered in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his grasp.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.