Jun 19, 2022
I wish you would bear with me in a little foolishness. Do bear
with me! 2 For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I
betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to
Christ. 3 But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived
Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere
and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if someone comes and
proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you
receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you
accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up
with it readily enough. 5 Indeed, I consider that I am
not in the least inferior to these super-apostles. 6
Even if I am unskilled in speaking, I am not so in knowledge;
indeed, in every way we have made this plain to you in all
things.
7 Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you
might be exalted, because I preached God's gospel to you free of
charge? 8 I robbed other churches by accepting support
from them in order to serve you. 9 And when I was with
you and was in need, I did not burden anyone, for the brothers who
came from Macedonia supplied my need. So I refrained and will
refrain from burdening you in any way. 10 As the truth
of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be silenced in
the regions of Achaia. 11 And why? Because I do not love
you? God knows I do!
12 And what I am doing I will continue to do, in order
to undermine the claim of those who would like to claim that in
their boasted mission they work on the same terms as we do.
13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen,
disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 And no
wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
15 So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise
themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond
to their deeds.
Key Words: Pure, Sincere, Betrothed, Deceive,
Disguise, Satan
Keystone Verse: But I am afraid that as the
serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led
astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. (2 Corinthians
11:3)