Study Desk

I wish that you would ^(C1)bear with me in a little ^(C2)foolishness; but ^(F1)indeed you are bearing with me.

For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I ^(C1)betrothed you to one husband, to ^(C2)present you as a pure virgin to Christ.

But I am afraid that, as the ^(C1)serpent deceived Eve by his trickery, your minds will be led astray from sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

For if ^(F1)one comes and preaches ^(C1)another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a ^(C2)different spirit which you have not received, or a ^(C3)different gospel which you have not accepted, this you ^(C4)tolerate ^(C5)very well!

For I consider myself ^(C1)not in the least inferior to the ^(F1)most eminent apostles.

But even if I am ^(C1)unskilled in speech, yet I am not so in ^(C2)knowledge; in fact, in every way we have ^(C3)made this evident to you in all things.

Or ^(C1)did I commit a sin by humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the ^(C2)gospel of God to you ^(C3)without charge?

I robbed other churches by ^(C1)taking wages from them to serve you;

and when I was present with you and was in need, I was ^(C1)not a burden to anyone; for when ^(C2)the brothers came from ^(C3)Macedonia they fully supplied my need, and in everything I kept myself from ^(C1)being a burden to you, ^(F1)and will continue to do so.

^(C1)As the truth of Christ is in me, ^(C2)this boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of ^(C3)Achaia.

Why? ^(C1)Because I do not love you? ^(C2)God knows that I do!

But what I am doing I will also continue to do, ^(C1)so that I may eliminate the opportunity from those who want an opportunity to be ^(F1)regarded just as we are in the matter about which they are boasting.

For such men are ^(C1)false apostles, ^(C2)deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.

No wonder, for even ^(C1)Satan disguises himself as an ^(C2)angel of light.

Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, ^(C1)whose end will be according to their deeds.