I wish you would tolerate me, even when I am a bit foolish. Please do!

I repeat: no one should think that I am a fool. But if you do, at least accept me as a fool, just so I will have a little to boast of.

Of course what I am saying now is not what the Lord would have me say; in this matter of boasting I am really talking like a fool.

If I wanted to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be telling the truth. But I will not boast, because I do not want any of you to have a higher opinion of me than you have as a result of what you have seen me do and heard me say.

I am acting like a fool---but you have made me do it. You are the ones who ought to show your approval of me. For even if I am nothing, I am in no way inferior to those very special "apostles" of yours.

As Paul defended himself in this way, Festus shouted at him, "You are mad, Paul! Your great learning is driving you mad!"

Paul answered, "I am not mad, Your Excellency! I am speaking the sober truth.

For Christ's sake we are fools; but you are wise in union with Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! We are despised, but you are honored!

we wear ourselves out with hard work. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure;

Our appeal to you is not based on error or impure motives, nor do we try to trick anyone.

You know very well that we did not come to you with flattering talk, nor did we use words to cover up greed---God is our witness!

even though as apostles of Christ we could have made demands on you. But we were gentle when we were with you, like a mother taking care of her children.

Surely you remember, our friends, how we worked and toiled! We worked day and night so that we would not be any trouble to you as we preached to you the Good News from God.

You know that we treated each one of you just as parents treat their own children.

David answered, "I was dancing to honor the LORD, who chose me instead of your father and his family to make me the leader of his people Israel. And I will go on dancing to honor the LORD,

and will disgrace myself even more. You may think I am nothing, but those women will think highly of me!"

Paul answered, "I am not mad, Your Excellency! I am speaking the sober truth.

And because of God's gracious gift to me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you should. Instead, be modest in your thinking, and judge yourself according to the amount of faith that God has given you.

So, even though I wrote that letter, it was not because of the one who did wrong or the one who was wronged. Instead, I wrote it to make plain to you, in God's sight, how deep your devotion to us really is.

And now I am happy about my sufferings for you, for by means of my physical sufferings I am helping to complete what still remains of Christ's sufferings on behalf of his body, the church.

For we brought the Good News to you, not with words only, but also with power and the Holy Spirit, and with complete conviction of its truth. You know how we lived when we were with you; it was for your own good.

and so I endure everything for the sake of God's chosen people, in order that they too may obtain the salvation that comes through Christ Jesus and brings eternal glory.