Study Desk

Paul and the False Apostles

I hope you will put up with^(a) me in a little foolishness.^(b) Yes, please put up with me!

I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband,^(c) to Christ, so that I might present you^(d) as a pure virgin to him.

But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning,^(e) your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached,^(f) or if you receive a different spirit^(g) from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel^(h) from the one you accepted, you put up with it⁽ⁱ⁾ easily enough.

I do not think I am in the least inferior to those "super-apostles."^[a](j)

I may indeed be untrained as a speaker,^(k) but I do have knowledge.^(l) We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way.

Was it a sin^(m) for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God⁽ⁿ⁾ to you free of charge?^(o)

I robbed other churches by receiving support from them^(p) so as to serve you.

And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed.^(q) I have kept myself from being a burden to you^(r) in any way, and will continue to do so.

As surely as the truth of Christ is in me,^(s) nobody in the regions of Achaia^(t) will stop this boasting^(u) of mine.

Why? Because I do not love you? God knows^(v) I do!^(w)

And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about.

For such people are false apostles,^(x) deceitful^(y) workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.^(z)

And no wonder, for Satan^(aa) himself masquerades as an angel of light.

It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.^(ab)