1I wish you to be patient with me for a while, so that I may speak plainly, and I am sure you will be. 2For I am zealous for you with the zealousness of Elohim, for I have espoused you to a husband, that I may present you as a pure virgin to Mashi’akh. 3But I am afraid that just as the serpent, through his deceitfulness, misled Khavah, so your minds might be corrupted from the perfection that is in Mashi’akh. 4For if he who has come to you declares another Yeshua whom we have not declared, or if you have received another spirit which you had not received, or another “good news” which you had not accepted, you might have given in.
5For I think that I am not in the least inferior to the most distinguished shlikhim. 6But, though I am a poor speaker, I am not poor in knowledge; but we have been thoroughly made manifest among you in all things. 7Probably, I have acted foolishly in humbling myself, that you might be exalted, because I declared to you HaB’sorah of Elohim freely. 8I deprived other congregations, taking supplies from them in order to minister to you. 9And when I came to you and was in need, I did not burden any of you, for my wants were supplied by the brethren who came from Macedonia; I have taken care of myself in every way, and I will so continue to keep myself, that I will not be a burden to you. 10As the truth of Mashi’akh is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia. 11Why? Because I do not love you? Elohim knows I do love you. 12But what I do, I will continue to do, so as to give no occasion to those who seek an occasion; and that, in whatever they boast, they may not be found equal to us; 13for they are false shlikhim and deceitful workers, posing as shlikhim of Mashi’akh. 14There is no marvel in this; for if HaSatan disguises himself as the messenger of light, 15it is no great thing if his ministers also pose as the ministers of tzedaka, whose end shall be according to their works.
16I say again, let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little. 17What I now say, I speak not after Adoneinu, but as it were, foolishly, on this occasion of boasting. 18Because many boast on the things of the flesh, I boast also. 19For you endure fools readily, knowing that you yourselves are wise. 20For you endure the man who dominates you, and the man who lives at your expense, and the man who takes from you, and the man who exalts himself over you, and the man who smites you on the face. 21I speak this as a reproach, as though we were weak. Now I speak foolishly; in whatsoever other men are bold, I venture also.
22Now if they are Hebrews, so am I. If they are Yisra’elites, so am I. If they are descendants of Avraham, so am I. 23If they are ministers of Mashi’akh (I speak as a fool), I am greater than they; in labor more than they, in wounds more than they, in bonds more than they, and in danger of death many times. 24By the Y’hudim I was scourged five times, each time forty stripes less one. 25Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was in a shipwreck, a day and a night I have been adrift in the sea in a shipwreck. 26On many journeys I have been in perils from rivers, in perils of robbers, in perils from my own kinsmen, in perils from the Goyim, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils from false brethren; 27in toil and weariness, in sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, through much fasting, in cold and nakedness. 28Besides other things and the many calling on me every day, I have also the care of all the congregations. 29Who is sick that I do not feel the pain? Who stumbles that does not have my heartfelt sympathy? 30If I must need to boast, I will boast of my sufferings. 31HaElohim, Avi of Adoneinu Yeshua HaMashi’akh, who is blessed forever and ever, knows that I do not lie. 32At Damesek, the general of the army of King Aretas placed the city of the Damascenes under guard in order to seize me; 33and I was lowered in a basket from a window over the city wall, and thus I escaped from his hands.
Coming Soon! We are working daily on translating the remainder of the Brit Khadashah from Aramaic to Hebrew. Check back soon for this chapter’s Hebrew version!
D'var יהוה , The Word of יהוה 