2 Corinthians 11:1-15 - Paul Defends His Apostleship
1 I wish you would bear a little with my folly; and indeed do bear with me. 2 For I am zealous for you with a godly zeal, for I joined you, a chaste virgin, to one husband, to present to Christ; 3 but I fear lest as the serpent deceived Eve with his craftiness, so also your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity which is in Christ. 4 For if he that comes preaches another Jesus whom we did not preach, or you receive another spirit which you did not receive, or another gospel which you did not receive, you might well bear it;
5 for I judge that I am not behind the chief of the apostles. 6 And even if I am rude in speech, I certainly am not in knowledge, but we have been made fully manifest to you in all things. 7 Have I done wrong to humble myself that you might be exalted, that I preached the gospel of God to you gratuitously? 8 I robbed other churches taking wages to serve you; 9 and when I was with you and was in want, I was burdensome to no one; for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied beforehand my need; and in every thing I kept myself without being burdensome to you, and will keep myself so. 10 As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting in respect to myself shall not be silenced in the regions of Achaia. 11 Why? Because I love you not? God knows.
12 But what I do I also will do, that I may take away an occasion from those who wish an occasion, that wherein they boast they may be found even as we are. 13 For such false apostles, deceitful laborers, transform themselves into apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder; for Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. 15 It is no great thing, therefore, if his ministers transform themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.