11. Why? Because I don't love you? No! God knows I do!
12. And I will keep on doing what I'm doing. That will stop those who claim they have things to brag about. They think they have a chance to be considered equal with us.
13. People like that are false apostles. They work hard to trick others. They only pretend to be apostles of Christ.
14. That comes as no surprise. Even Satan himself pretends to be an angel of light.
15. So it doesn't surprise us that those who serve Satan pretend to be serving God. They will finally get exactly what they should.
16. I will say it again. Don't let anyone think I'm a fool. But if you do, receive me just as you would receive a fool. Then I can do a little bragging.
17. When I brag about myself like this, I'm not talking the way the Lord would. I'm talking like a fool.
18. Many are bragging the way the people of the world do. So I will brag like that too.
19. You are so wise! You gladly put up with fools!
20. In fact, you even put up with anyone who makes you a slave or uses you. You put up with those who take advantage of you. You put up with those who claim to be better than you. You put up with those who slap you in the face.
21. I'm ashamed to have to say that I was too weak for that! What anyone else dares to brag about, I also dare to brag about. I'm speaking like a fool!
22. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Do they belong to the people of Israel? So do I. Are they Abraham's children? So am I.
23. Are they serving Christ? I am serving him even more. I'm out of my mind to talk like this! I have worked much harder. I have been in prison more often. I have suffered terrible beatings. Again and again I almost died.
24. Five times the Jews gave me 39 strokes with a whip.
25. Three times I was beaten with sticks. Once they tried to kill me by throwing stones at me. Three times I was shipwrecked. I spent a night and a day in the open sea.