Study Desk

I am very happy that I can trust you fully.

I am not commanding you to give. But I want to see if your love is true by comparing you with others that really want to help.

But I am sending the brothers to you so that our bragging about you in this will not be empty words. I want you to be ready, as I said you would be.

I, Paul, am begging you with the gentleness and the kindness of Christ. Some people say that I am easy on you when I am with you and bold when I am away.

I do not want you to think I am trying to scare you with my letters.

I wish you would be patient with me even when I am a little foolish, but you are already doing that.

I am jealous over you with a jealousy that comes from God. I promised to give you to Christ, as your only husband. I want to give you as his pure bride.

But I am afraid that your minds will be led away from your true and pure following of Christ just as Eve was tricked by the snake with his evil ways.

I do not think that those "great apostles" are any better than I am.

And I will continue doing what I am doing now, because I want to stop those people from having a reason to brag. They would like to say that the work they brag about is the same as ours.

I tell you again: No one should think I am a fool. But if you think so, accept me as you would accept a fool. Then I can brag a little, too.

When I brag because I feel sure of myself, I am not talking as the Lord would talk but as a fool.

It is shameful to me to say this, but we were too "weak" to do those things to you! But if anyone else is brave enough to brag, then I also will be brave and brag. (I am talking as a fool.)

Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they from Abraham's family? So am I.

Are they serving Christ? I am serving him more. (I am crazy to talk like this.) I have worked much harder than they. I have been in prison more often. I have been hurt more in beatings. I have been near death many times.

If I must brag, I will brag about the things that show I am weak.

God knows I am not lying. He is the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, and he is to be praised forever.

But he said to me, "My grace is enough for you. When you are weak, my power is made perfect in you." So I am very happy to brag about my weaknesses. Then Christ's power can live in me.

For this reason I am happy when I have weaknesses, insults, hard times, sufferings, and all kinds of troubles for Christ. Because when I am weak, then I am truly strong.

I have been talking like a fool, but you made me do it. You are the ones who should say good things about me. I am worth nothing, but those "great apostles" are not worth any more than I am!