13. Those men are not true apostles — they are false apostles, who lie about their work and disguise themselves to look like real apostles of Christ.
14. Well, no wonder! Even Satan can disguise himself to look like an angel of light!
15. So it is no great thing if his servants disguise themselves to look like servants of righteousness. In the end they will get exactly what their actions deserve.
16. I repeat: no one should think that I am a fool. But if you do, at least accept me as a fool, so that I will have a little to boast of.
17. Of course what I am saying now is not what the Lord would like me to say; in this matter of boasting I am really talking like a fool.
18. But since there are so many who boast for merely human reasons, I will do the same.
19. You yourselves are so wise, and so you gladly tolerate fools!
20. You tolerate anyone who orders you about or takes advantage of you or traps you or looks down on you or slaps you in the face.
21. I am ashamed to admit that we were too timid to do those things!But if anyone dares to boast about something — I am talking like a fool — I will be just as daring.
22. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham's descendants? So am I.
23. Are they Christ's servants? I sound like a madman — but I am a better servant than they are! I have worked much harder, I have been in prison more times, I have been whipped much more, and I have been near death more often.
24. Five times I was given the 39 lashes by the Jews;
25. three times I was whipped by the Romans; and once I was stoned. I have been in three shipwrecks, and once I spent 24 hours in the water.
26. In my many travels I have been in danger from floods and from robbers, in danger from fellow-Jews and from Gentiles; there have been dangers in the cities, dangers in the wilds, dangers on the high seas, and dangers from false friends.
27. There has been work and toil; often I have gone without sleep; I have been hungry and thirsty; I have often been without enough food, shelter, or clothing.