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.