Epistula II ad Corinthios, 11

1. Utinam sustineretis modi cum quid insipientiae meae; sed et supportate me!

1. I wish you would bear with me in a little foolishness. Do bear with me!

2. Aemulor enim vos Dei aemulatione; despondi enim vos uni viro virginem castam exhibere Christo.

2. I feel a divine jealousy for you, for I betrothed you to Christ to present you as a pure bride to her one husband.

3. Timeo autem, ne, sicut serpens Evam seduxit astutia sua, ita corrumpantur sensus vestri a simplicitate et castitate, quae est in Christum.

3. But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

4. Nam si is qui venit, alium Christum praedicat, quem non praedicavimus, aut alium Spiritum accipitis, quem non accepistis, aut aliud evangelium, quod non recepistis, recte pateremini.

4. For if some one comes and preaches another Jesus than the one we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you submit to it readily enough.

5. Existimo enim nihil me minus fecisse magnis apostolis;

5. I think that I am not in the least inferior to these superlative apostles.

6. nam etsi imperitus sermone, sed non scientia, in omni autem manifestantes in omnibus ad vos.

6. Even if I am unskilled in speaking, I am not in knowledge; in every way we have made this plain to you in all things.

7. Aut numquid peccatum feci meipsum humilians, ut vos exaltemini, quoniam gratis evangelium Dei evangelizavi vobis?

7. Did I commit a sin in abasing myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached God's gospel without cost to you?

8. Alias ecclesias exspoliavi accipiens stipendium ad ministerium vestrum

8. I robbed other churches by accepting support from them in order to serve you.

9. et, cum essem apud vos et egerem, nulli onerosus fui; nam, quod mihi deerat, suppleverunt fratres, qui venerunt a Macedonia; et in omnibus sine onere me vobis servavi et servabo.

9. And when I was with you and was in want, I did not burden any one, for my needs were supplied by the brethren who came from Macedo'nia. So I refrained and will refrain from burdening you in any way.

10. Est veritas Christi in me, quoniam haec gloria non infringetur in me in regionibus Achaiae.

10. As the truth of Christ is in me, this boast of mine shall not be silenced in the regions of Acha'ia.

11. Quare? Quia non diligo vos? Deus scit!

11. And why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!

12. Quod autem facio et faciam, ut amputem occasionem eorum, qui volunt occasionem, ut in quo gloriantur, inveniantur sicut et nos.

12. And what I do I will continue to do, in order to undermine the claim of those who would like to claim that in their boasted mission they work on the same terms as we do.

13. Nam eiusmodi pseudoapostoli, operarii subdoli, transfigurantes se in apostolos Christi.

13. For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.

14. Et non mirum, ipse enim Satanas transfigurat se in angelum lucis;

14. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

15. non est ergo magnum, si et ministri eius transfigurentur velut ministri iustitiae, quorum finis erit secundum opera ipsorum.

15. So it is not strange if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.

16. Iterum dico, ne quis me putet insipientem esse; alioquin velut insipientem accipite me, ut et ego modicum quid glorier.

16. I repeat, let no one think me foolish; but even if you do, accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little.

17. Quod loquor, non loquor secundum Dominum, sed quasi in insipientia, in hac substantia gloriationis.

17. (What I am saying I say not with the Lord's authority but as a fool, in this boastful confidence;

18. Quoniam multi gloriantur secundum carnem, et ego gloriabor.

18. since many boast of worldly things, I too will boast.)

19. Libenter enim suffertis insipientes, cum sitis ipsi sapientes;

19. For you gladly bear with fools, being wise yourselves!

20. sustinetis enim, si quis vos in servitutem redigit, si quis devorat, si quis accipit, si quis extollitur, si quis in faciem vos caedit.

20. For you bear it if a man makes slaves of you, or preys upon you, or takes advantage of you, or puts on airs, or strikes you in the face.

21. Secundum ignobilitatem dico, quasi nos infirmi fuerimus; in quo quis audet, in insipientia dico, audeo et ego.

21. To my shame, I must say, we were too weak for that! But whatever any one dares to boast of -- I am speaking as a fool -- I also dare to boast of that.

22. Hebraei sunt? Et ego. Israelitae sunt? Et ego. Semen Abrahae sunt? Et ego.

22. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I.

23. Ministri Christi sunt? Minus sapiens dico, plus ego: in laboribus plurimis, in carceribus abundantius, in plagis supra modum, in mortibus frequenter;

23. Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one -- I am talking like a madman -- with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death.

24. a Iudaeis quinquies quadragenas una minus accepi,

24. Five times I have received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one.

25. ter virgis caesus sum, semel lapidatus sum, ter naufragium feci, nocte et die in profundo maris fui;

25. Three times I have been beaten with rods; once I was stoned. Three times I have been shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been adrift at sea;

26. in itineribus saepe, periculis fluminum, periculis latronum, periculis ex genere, periculis ex gentibus, periculis in civitate, periculis in solitudine, periculis in mari, periculis in falsis fratribus;

26. on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brethren;

27. in labore et aerumna, in vigiliis saepe, in fame et siti, in ieiuniis frequenter, in frigore et nuditate;

27. in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.

28. praeter illa, quae extrinsecus sunt, instantia mea cotidiana, sollicitudo omnium ecclesiarum.

28. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure upon me of my anxiety for all the churches.

29. Quis infirmatur, et non infirmor? Quis scandalizatur, et ego non uror?

29. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant?

30. Si gloriari oportet, quae infirmitatis meae sunt, gloriabor.

30. If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.

31. Deus et Pater Domini Iesu scit, qui est benedictus in saecula, quod non mentior.

31. The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed for ever, knows that I do not lie.

32. Damasci praepositus gentis Aretae regis custodiebat civitatem Damascenorum, ut me comprehenderet;

32. At Damascus, the governor under King Ar'etas guarded the city of Damascus in order to seize me,

33. et per fenestram in sporta dimissus sum per murum et effugi manus eius.

33. but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped his hands.