Letters to the Churches

That I speake, I speake it not after the Lord: but as it were foolishly, in this my great boasting.

Seeing that many reioyce after the flesh, I will reioyce also.

For ye suffer fooles gladly, because that yee are wise.

For ye suffer, euen if a man bring you into bondage, if a man deuoure you, if a man take your goods, if a man exalt himselfe, if a man smite you on the face.

I speake as concerning the reproche: as though that we had bene weake: but wherein any man is bold (I speake foolishly) I am bold also.

They are Hebrues, so am I: they are Israelites, so am I: they are the seede of Abraham, so am I:

They are the ministers of Christ (I speake as a foole) I am more: in labours more aboundant: in stripes aboue measure: in prison more plenteously: in death oft.

Of the Iewes fiue times receiued I fourtie stripes saue one.

I was thrise beaten with roddes: I was once stoned: I suffered thrise shipwracke: night and day haue I bene in the deepe sea.

In iourneying I was often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of mine owne nation, in perils among the Gentiles, in perils in the citie, in perils in wildernes, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren,

In wearinesse and painefulnesse, in watching often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in colde and in nakednesse.

Beside the thinges which are outwarde, I am combred dayly, and haue the care of all the Churches.

Who is weake, and I am not weake? who is offended, and I burne not?

If I must needes reioyce, I will reioyce of mine infirmities.

The God, euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, which is blessed for euermore, knoweth that I lie not.

In Damascus the gouernour of the people vnder King Aretas, layde watch in the citie of the Damascens, and would haue caught me.

But at a window was I let downe in a basket through the wall, and escaped his handes.

It is not expedient for me no doubt to reioyce: for I will come to visions and reuelations of the Lord.

I know a man in Christ aboue fourteene yeeres agone, (whether he were in the body, I can not tell, or out of the body, I can not tell: God knoweth) which was taken vp into the thirde heauen.

And I knowe such a man (whether in the body, or out of the body, I can not tell: God knoweth)

How that he was taken vp into Paradise, and heard words which cannot be spoken, which are not possible for man to vtter.

Of such a man will I reioyce: of my selfe will I not reioyce, except it bee of mine infirmities.

For though I woulde reioyce, I should not be a foole, for I will say the trueth: but I refraine, lest any man should thinke of me aboue that hee seeth in me, or that he heareth of me.

And lest I should be exalted out of measure through the aboundance of reuelations, there was giuen vnto me a pricke in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet mee, because I should not be exalted out of measure.

For this thing I besought the Lord thrise, that it might depart from me.