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1. I wish you would listen to a little foolish talk from me. Now listen.
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1. Would to God G3785 ye could bear with G430 me G3450 a little G3397 in my folly G877 : and G235 indeed G2532 bear with G430 me G3450 .
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2. I am jealous for you with a God-like jealousy. I have given you, as a woman who has never had a man, to one Husband, Who is Christ.
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2. For G1063 I am jealous G2206 over you G5209 with godly G2316 jealousy G2205 : for G1063 I have espoused G718 you G5209 to one G1520 husband G435 , that I may present G3936 you as a chaste G53 virgin G3933 to Christ G5547 .
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3. Eve was fooled by the snake in the garden of Eden. In the same way, I am afraid that you will be fooled and led away from your pure love for Christ.
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3. But G1161 I fear G5399 , lest by any means G3381 , as G5613 the G3588 serpent G3789 beguiled G1818 Eve G2096 through G1722 his G848 subtlety G3834 , so G3779 your G5216 minds G3540 should be corrupted G5351 from G575 the G3588 simplicity G572 that G3588 is in G1519 Christ G5547 .
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4. You listen when someone comes and preaches a different Jesus than the One we preached. You believe what you hear about a different spirit and different good news than that which we preached.
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4. For G1063 if G1487 he that cometh G2064 preacheth G2784 another G243 Jesus G2424 , whom G3739 we have not G3756 preached G2784 , or G2228 if ye receive G2983 another G2087 spirit G4151 , which G3739 ye have not G3756 received G2983 , or G2228 another G2087 gospel G2098 , which G3739 ye have not G3756 accepted G1209 , ye might well G2573 bear with G430 him.
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5. I do not think I am less than those special missionaries who are coming to you.
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5. For G1063 I suppose G3049 I was not a whit behind G5302 G3367 the G3588 very chiefest G5228 G3029 apostles G652 .
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6. Even if it is hard for me to speak, I know what I am talking about. You know this by now.
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6. But G1161 though G1487 G2532 I be rude G2399 in speech G3056 , yet G235 not G3756 in knowledge G1108 ; but G235 we have been throughly G1722 G3956 made manifest G5319 among G1519 you G5209 in G1722 all things G3956 .
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7. Did I do wrong? I did not ask you for anything when I preached the Good News to you. I made myself poor so you would be made rich.
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7. G2228 Have I committed G4160 an offense G266 in abasing G5013 myself G1683 that G2443 ye G5210 might be exalted G5312 , because G3754 I have preached G2097 to you G5213 the G3588 gospel G2098 of God G2316 freely G1432 ?
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8. I did take money from other churches. I used it while I worked with you so you would not have to pay me.
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8. I robbed G4813 other G243 churches G1577 , taking G2983 wages G3800 of them, to G4314 do you G5216 service G1248 .
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9. Some of the time I had no money when I was with you. But I did not ask you for money. The Christians from the country of Macedonia brought me what I needed. I did not ask you and I will not ask you for anything.
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9. And G2532 when I was present G3918 with G4314 you G5209 , and G2532 wanted G5302 , I G3756 was chargable G2655 to no man G3762 : for G1063 that which was lacking G5303 to me G3450 the G3588 brethren G80 which came G2064 from G575 Macedonia G3109 supplied G4322 : and G2532 in G1722 all G3956 things I have kept G5083 myself G1683 from being burdensome G4 unto you G5213 , and G2532 so will I keep G5083 myself.
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10. As sure as the truth of Christ is in me, I will not stop telling those in the country of Greece that I am proud of this.
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10. As the truth G225 of Christ G5547 is G2076 in G1722 me G1698 , no man G3754 G3756 shall stop G4972 G1519 me G1691 of this G3778 boasting G2746 in G1722 the G3588 regions G2824 of Achaia G882 .
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11. Does it mean I do not love you? God knows I do.
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11. Wherefore G1302 ? because G3754 I love G25 you G5209 not G3756 ? God G2316 knoweth G1492 .
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12. What I am doing now, I will keep on doing. I will do it to stop those who say they work as we do.
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12. But G1161 what G3739 I do G4160 , that I G2532 will do G4160 , that G2443 I may cut off G1581 occasion G874 from them which desire G2309 occasion G874 ; that G2443 wherein G1722 G3739 they glory G2744 , they may be found G2147 even G2532 as G2531 we G2249 .
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13. Those men are false missionaries. They lie about their work. But they make themselves look like true missionaries of Christ.
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13. For G1063 such G5108 are false apostles G5570 , deceitful G1386 workers G2040 , transforming themselves G3345 into G1519 the apostles G652 of Christ G5547 .
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14. It is no surprise! The devil makes himself look like an angel of light.
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14. And G2532 no G3756 marvel G2298 ; for G1063 Satan G4567 himself G846 is transformed G3345 into G1519 an angel G32 of light G5457 .
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15. And so it is no surprise if his servants also make themselves look like preachers of the Good News. They and their work will come to the same end.
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15. Therefore G3767 it is no G3756 great thing G3173 if G1499 his G846 ministers G1249 also be transformed G3345 as G5613 the ministers G1249 of righteousness G1343 ; whose G3739 end G5056 shall be G2071 according G2596 to their G846 works G2041 .
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16. Let me say it again. Do not think of me as a fool. But if you do, then let this foolish man speak a little about himself.
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16. I say G3004 again G3825 , Let no G3361 man G5100 think G1380 me G3165 a G1511 fool G878 ; if otherwise G1490 G1490 , yet G2579 as G5613 a fool G878 receive G1209 me G3165 , that G2443 I G2504 may boast G2744 myself a little G3397 G5100 .
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17. The Lord has not told me to talk about myself. I am foolish when I do talk about myself like this.
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17. That G3739 which I speak G2980 , I speak G2980 it not G3756 after G2596 the Lord G2962 , but G235 as it were G5613 foolishly G1722 G877 , in G1722 this G5026 confidence G5287 of boasting G2746 .
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18. Since the other men tell you all about themselves, I will talk about myself also.
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18. Seeing that G1893 many G4183 glory G2744 after G2596 the G3588 flesh G4561 , I will glory also G2504 G2744 .
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19. You are so wise! You put up with fools!
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19. For G1063 ye suffer G430 fools G878 gladly G2234 , seeing ye yourselves are G5607 wise G5429 .
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20. You listen to anyone who tells you what to do or makes money off of you or sets a trap for you. You will listen to anyone who makes himself bigger than you or hits you in the face.
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20. For G1063 ye suffer G430 , if a man G1536 bring you into bondage G2615 G5209 , if a man G1536 devour G2719 you, if a man G1536 take G2983 of you, if a man G1536 exalt himself G1869 , if a man G1536 smite G1194 you G5209 on G1519 the face G4383 .
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21. I am ashamed to say that I am weak! But I do not do as they do. Whatever they say about themselves, I can say about myself also. (I know what I am saying sounds foolish.)
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21. I speak G3004 as concerning G2596 reproach G819 , as G5613 though G3754 we G2249 had been weak G770 . Howbeit G1161 whereinsoever G1722 G3739 G302 any G5100 is bold, I G5111 ( speak G3004 foolishly G1722 G877 ,) I am bold also G2504 G5111 .
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22. Are they Jews? So am I. Are they from the family of Israel? So am I. Are they from the family of Abraham? So am I.
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22. Are G1526 they Hebrews G1445 ? so am I G2504 . Are G1526 they Israelites G2475 ? so am I G2504 . Are G1526 they the seed G4690 of Abraham G11 ? so am I G2504 .
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23. Do they work for Christ? I have worked for Him much more than they have. (I speak as if I am crazy.) I have done much more work. I have been in prison more times. I cannot remember how many times I have been whipped. Many times I have been in danger of death.
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23. Are G1526 they ministers G1249 of Christ? I G5547 ( speak G2980 as a fool G3912 ) I G1473 am more G5228 ; in G1722 labors G2873 more abundant G4056 , in G1722 stripes G4127 above measure G5234 , in G1722 prisons G5438 more frequent G4056 , in G1722 deaths G2288 oft G4178 .
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24. Five different times the Jews whipped me across my back thirty-nine times.
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24. Of G5259 the Jews G2453 five times G3999 received G2983 I forty G5062 stripes save G3844 one G3391 .
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25. Three times they beat me with sticks. One time they threw stones at me. Three times I was on ships that were wrecked. I spent a day and a night in the water.
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25. Thrice G5151 was I beaten with rods G4463 , once G530 was I stoned G3034 , thrice G5151 I suffered shipwreck G3489 , a night and a day G3574 I have been G4160 in G1722 the G3588 deep G1037 ;
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26. I have made many hard trips. I have been in danger from high water on rivers. I have been in danger from robbers. I have been in danger from the Jews. I have been in danger from people who do not know God. I have been in danger in cities and in the desert. I have been in danger on the sea. I have been in danger among people who say they belong to Christ but do not.
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26. In journeyings G3597 often G4178 , in perils G2794 of waters G4215 , in perils G2794 of robbers G3027 , in perils G2794 by G1537 mine own countrymen G1085 , in perils G2794 by G1537 the heathen G1484 , in perils G2794 in G1722 the city G4172 , in perils G2794 in G1722 the wilderness G2047 , in perils G2794 in G1722 the sea G2281 , in perils G2794 among G1722 false brethren G5569 ;
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27. I have worked hard and have been tired and have had pain. I have gone many times without sleep. I have been hungry and thirsty. I have gone without food and clothes. I have been out in the cold.
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27. In G1722 weariness G2873 and G2532 painfulness G3449 , in G1722 watchings G70 often G4178 , in G1722 hunger G3042 and G2532 thirst G1372 , in G1722 fastings G3521 often G4178 , in G1722 cold G5592 and G2532 nakedness G1132 .
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28. More than all these things that have happened to my body, the care of all the churches is heavy on me.
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28. Beside G5565 those things that are without G3924 , that which cometh upon G1999 me G3450 daily G2596 G2250 , the G3588 care G3308 of all G3956 the G3588 churches G1577 .
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29. When someone is weak, I feel weak also. When someone is led into sin, I have a strong desire to help him.
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29. Who G5101 is weak G770 , and G2532 I am not weak G770 G3756 ? who G5101 is offended G4624 , and G2532 I G1473 burn G4448 not G3756 ?
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30. If I must talk about myself, I will do it about the things that show how weak I am.
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30. If G1487 I must needs G1163 glory G2744 , I will glory G2744 of the things G3588 which concern mine G3450 infirmities G769 .
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31. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is to be honored and thanked forever. He knows I am telling the truth.
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31. The G3588 God G2316 and G2532 Father G3962 of our G2257 Lord G2962 Jesus G2424 Christ G5547 , which is G5607 blessed G2128 forevermore G1519 G165 , knoweth G1492 that G3754 I lie G5574 not G3756 .
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32. In the city of Damascus the leader of the people under King Aretas put soldiers at the gates to take me.
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32. In G1722 Damascus G1154 the G3588 governor G1481 under Aretas G702 the G3588 king G935 kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison G5432 G3588 G4172 G1153 , desirous G2309 to apprehend G4084 me G3165 :
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33. But I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and I got away.
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33. And G2532 through G1223 a window G2376 in G1722 a basket G4553 was I let down G5465 by G1223 the G3588 wall G5038 , and G2532 escaped G1628 his G846 hands G5495 .
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