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.
26. I have had to keep on the move. I have been in danger from rivers. I have been in danger from robbers. I have been in danger from people from my own country. I have been in danger from those who aren't Jews. I have been in danger in the city, in the country, and at sea. I have been in danger from people who pretended they were believers.
27. I have worked very hard. Often I have gone without sleep. I have been hungry and thirsty. Often I have gone without food. I have been cold and naked.
28. Besides everything else, every day I am concerned about all the churches. It is a very heavy load.
29. If anyone is weak, I feel weak. If anyone is led into sin, I burn on the inside.