5. I don’t think that those “super apostles” are any better than I am.
6. It is true that I am not a trained speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have shown this to you clearly in every way.
7. I did the work of telling God’s Good News to you without pay. I humbled myself to make you important. Do you think that was wrong?
8. I accepted pay from other churches. I took their money so that I could serve you.
9. If I needed something when I was with you, I did not trouble any of you. The brothers who came from Macedonia gave me all that I needed. I did not allow myself to be a burden to you in any way. And I will never be a burden to you.
10. No one there in Achaia will stop me from boasting about that. I say this with the truth of Christ in me.
11. And why do I not burden you? Do you think it is because I don’t love you? God knows that I love you.
12. And I will continue doing what I am doing now, because I want to stop those people from having a reason to boast. They would like to say that the work they boast about is the same as ours.
13. They are false apostles, lying workers. They only pretend to be apostles of Christ.
14. That does not surprise us, because even Satan changes himself to look like an angel of light.
15. So it does not surprise us if Satan’s servants make themselves look like servants who work for what is right. But in the end those people will get the punishment they deserve.
16. I tell you again: No one should think that I am a fool. But if you think I am a fool, then accept me as you would accept a fool. Then I can boast a little too.
17. But I am not talking the way the Lord would talk. I am boasting like a fool.