Paul and the False Apostles
I hope you will bear with a little of my foolishness, but you are already doing that. 1Co 1:212Co 11:42Co 11:192Co 11:212Co 5:132Co 11:16-171Co 3:181Co 4:10 I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. For I promised you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. Hos 2:19-20Eph 5:26-27Isa 54:5Col 1:28Jhn 3:29Lev 21:13-15Isa 62:4-5Rom 7:4
I am afraid, however, that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may be led astray from your simple and pure devotion to Christ. Col 2:8Gal 1:6Eph 4:141Jn 4:1Col 2:4Heb 13:91Ti 2:14Rev 12:9 For if someone comes and proclaims a Jesus other than the One we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit than the One you received, or a different gospel than the one you accepted, you put up with it way too easily. Gal 1:6-81Co 3:111Ti 2:5Eph 4:4-51Co 12:4-11Act 4:12Gal 3:2Rom 8:15
I consider myself in no way inferior to those “super-apostles.” 1Co 15:102Co 12:11-12Gal 2:6-9 Although I am not a polished speaker, I am certainly not lacking in knowledge. We have made this clear to you in every way possible. 1Co 1:17Eph 3:41Co 1:212Co 4:21Co 2:1-31Co 2:132Co 10:102Co 12:12
Was it a sin for me to humble myself in order to exalt you, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge? 2Co 12:131Co 4:10-121Co 9:61Th 2:92Co 10:11Co 9:14-182Th 3:8Act 18:1-3 I robbed other churches by accepting their support in order to serve you. 2Co 11:9Php 4:14-16Php 4:18 And when I was with you and in need, I was not a burden to anyone; for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my needs. I have refrained from being a burden to you in any way, and I will continue to do so. 1Th 2:61Th 2:92Th 3:8-9Php 4:10-162Co 12:13-162Co 6:42Co 8:1-22Co 9:12 As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be silenced in the regions of Achaia. Rom 9:1Act 18:12Rom 1:92Co 1:231Co 16:151Co 9:15-181Th 1:7-81Th 2:10 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do! 2Co 12:152Co 6:11-122Co 7:32Co 11:312Co 12:2-3Act 15:8Heb 4:13Jhn 2:24-25
But I will keep on doing what I am doing, in order to undercut those who want an opportunity to be regarded as our equals in the things of which they boast. 1Co 9:121Co 5:61Ti 5:142Co 1:172Co 10:172Co 11:182Co 11:92Co 5:12 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. Gal 1:7Rev 2:21Jn 4:1Php 3:2Gal 2:4Act 20:302Co 11:15Col 2:4 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. Gal 1:82Co 2:112Co 11:3Rev 12:9Mat 4:1-10Gen 3:1-5 It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their actions. Php 3:192Co 3:9Rev 9:112Co 11:232Pe 2:13-222Pe 2:3Act 13:10Isa 9:14-15
Paul’s Suffering and Service
(Colossians 1:24–29)
I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool. But if you do, then receive me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little. 2Co 11:12Co 12:62Co 11:192Co 11:21-232Co 12:11 In this confident boasting of mine, I am not speaking as the Lord would, but as a fool. 1Co 7:122Co 9:4Php 3:3-61Co 7:251Co 7:62Co 11:18-27 Since many are boasting according to the flesh, I too will boast. 1Co 4:101Pe 1:242Co 10:12-182Co 11:122Co 11:21-232Co 12:112Co 12:5-62Co 12:9 For you gladly tolerate fools, since you are so wise. 1Co 4:101Co 10:151Co 8:1Rev 3:17 In fact, you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or exalts himself or strikes you in the face. Gal 2:4Gal 4:3Gal 4:9Gal 5:12Co 1:24Isa 50:6Lam 3:30Luk 6:29 To my shame I concede that we were too weak for that! 2Co 10:102Co 10:1-22Co 11:172Co 11:22-272Co 13:10Php 3:3-6
Speaking as a fool, however, I can match what anyone else dares to boast about. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. Php 3:5Rom 11:1Rom 9:42Ch 20:7Act 22:3Exo 10:3Exo 7:16Exo 9:1 Are they servants of Christ? I am speaking like I am out of my mind, but I am so much more: in harder labor, in more imprisonments, in worse beatings, in frequent danger of death. 2Co 6:4-52Co 1:9-102Co 6:9Col 1:241Co 15:102Co 11:24-252Co 3:6Act 9:16 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Mrk 13:9Deu 25:2-3Mat 10:17 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked. I spent a night and a day in the open sea. Act 14:19Act 16:22-23Act 16:33Act 16:37Act 27:1-44Heb 11:37Act 14:5Act 7:58-59
In my frequent journeys, I have been in danger from rivers and from bandits, in danger from my countrymen and from the Gentiles, in danger in the city and in the country, in danger on the sea and among false brothers, Act 14:5Act 13:50Act 17:5Act 20:19Act 25:32Co 1:8-101Co 15:321Th 2:15-16 in labor and toil and often without sleep, in hunger and thirst and often without food, in cold and exposure. 2Co 6:5Php 4:121Th 2:92Th 3:81Co 4:11-121Co 7:52Co 11:23Act 13:2-3
Apart from these external trials, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. 1Co 7:17Rom 15:16Act 20:18-35Act 15:40-41Act 18:23Col 2:1Rom 11:13Rom 16:4 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not burn with grief? 1Co 8:131Co 9:22Gal 4:8-201Co 11:221Co 12:261Co 15:12-341Co 15:361Co 5:1-5
If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. 2Co 12:5-111Co 2:3Jer 9:23-24Pro 25:272Co 11:16-182Co 12:1Pro 27:2Col 1:24 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is forever worthy of praise, 1 knows that I am not lying. Eph 1:3Rom 9:51Pe 1:32Co 1:3Col 1:3Jhn 10:30Rom 1:25Rom 15:6 In Damascus, the governor under King Aretas secured the city of the Damascenes in order to arrest me. 2Co 11:26Act 9:24-25 But I was lowered in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his grasp. Act 9:251Sa 19:12Jos 2:18