2 Corinthians 11:1-15

Now, please bear with some of my “craziness” for a moment. Yes, please be patient with me. You need to know that God’s passion is burning inside me for you, because, like a loving father, I have pledged your hand in marriage to Christ, your true bridegroom. I’ve also promised that I would present his fiancée to him as a pure virgin bride. But now I’m afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s clever lies, your thoughts may be corrupted and you may lose your single-hearted devotion and pure love for Christ. For you seem to gladly tolerate anyone who comes to you preaching a pseudo-Jesus, not the Jesus we have preached. You have accepted a spirit and gospel that is false, rather than the Spirit and gospel you once embraced. How tolerant you have become of these imposters! Now, I believe that I am not inferior in any way to these special “super-apostles” you are attracted to. For although I may not be a polished or eloquent speaker, I’m certainly not an amateur in revelation knowledge. Indeed, we have demonstrated this to you time and again. Have I committed a sin by degrading myself to dignify you? Was I wrong to preach the gospel of God to you free of charge? I received ample financial support from other churches just so that I could freely serve you. Remember, when I was with you I didn’t bother anyone when I needed money, for my needs were always supplied by my Macedonian friends. So I was careful, and will continue to be careful, that I never become a burden to you in any way. As the reality of Christ lives within me, my glad boast of offering the gospel free of charge will not be silenced throughout the region of Achaia. Why? Is it because I have no love for you? God knows how much I love you! But in order to eliminate the opportunity for those “super-apostles” to boast that their ministry is on the same level as ours I will continue this practice. For they are not true apostles but deceitful ministers who masquerade as “special apostles” of the Anointed One. That doesn’t surprise us, for even Satan transforms himself to appear as an angel of light! So it’s no wonder his servants also go about pretending to be ministers of righteousness. But in the end they will be exposed and get exactly what they deserve.

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