rsv 2Corinthians:11:11-31 SEEK
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And why ?
Because I do not love you ?
God knows I do !
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And what I do I will continue to do ,
in order to undermine the claim of those who would like to claim that in their boasted mission they work on the same terms as we do .
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For such men are false apostles ,
deceitful workmen ,
disguising themselves as apostles of Christ .
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And no wonder ,
for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light .
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So it is not strange if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness .
Their end will correspond to their deeds .
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I repeat ,
let no one think me foolish ;
but even if you do ,
accept me as a fool ,
so that I too may boast a little .
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What I am saying I say not with the Lord '
s authority but as a fool ,
in this boastful confidence ;
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since many boast of worldly things ,
I too will boast .)
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For you gladly bear with fools ,
being wise yourselves !
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For you bear it if a man makes slaves of you ,
or preys upon you ,
or takes advantage of you ,
or puts on airs ,
or strikes you in the face .
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To my shame ,
I must say ,
we were too weak for that !
But whatever any one dares to boast of--I am speaking as a fool--I also dare to boast of that .
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Are they Hebrews ?
So am I .
Are they Israelites ?
So am I .
Are they descendants of Abraham ?
So am I .
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Are they servants of Christ ?
I am a better one--I am talking like a madman--with far greater labors ,
far more imprisonments ,
with countless beatings ,
and often near death .
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Five times I have received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one .
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Three times I have been beaten with rods ;
once I was stoned .
Three times I have been shipwrecked ;
a night and a day I have been adrift at sea ;
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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 brethren ;
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in toil and hardship ,
through many a sleepless night ,
in hunger and thirst ,
often without food ,
in cold and exposure .
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And ,
apart from other things ,
there is the daily pressure upon me of my anxiety for all the churches .
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Who is weak ,
and I am not weak ?
Who is made to fall ,
and I am not indignant ?
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If I must boast ,
I will boast of the things that show my weakness .
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The God and Father of the Lord Jesus ,
he who is blessed for ever ,
knows that I do not lie .