2 Corinthians 11:21b-33

2 Corinthians 11:21b-33

New International Version (NIV)

^21b Whatever anyone else dares to boast about—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast about. ²² Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I. ²³ Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. ²⁴ Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. ²⁵ Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, ²⁶ I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. ²⁷ I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. ²⁸ Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. ²⁹ Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?
³⁰ If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. ³¹ The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever, knows that I am not lying. ³² In Damascus the governor under King Aretas had the city of the Damascenes guarded in order to arrest me. ³³ But I was lowered in a basket from a window in the wall and slipped through his hands.

Paul continues his sarcastic response to the the false teachers. In verse 21 he states "speaking as a fool" and in verse 23 "I am out of my mind to talk like this.".  So we know that Paul did not want to speak about is credentials.  Paul was a Hebrew, an Israelite and a descendant of Abraham. He was a better servant because he worked harder, imprisoned more, beaten more and exposed to death more. 

Five times he received the 40 minus one.  Why the minus one.  If a person died during the whipping there would be no charges against the one doing the beating as long as only 40 lashes were given.  Therefore they only gave 39 to ensure they were "within legal limits".  In other words, enough people died during this beating they had to make a law about how much is too much.  FIVE times Paul endured this.

Three times Paul was beaten with rods, he'd been stoned, three times ship wrecked trying to get someplace to share Christ.  I'm trying to imagine floating at night in the open ocean.  


What do I know of suffering for a cause as worthy as the gospel? What have I done for my Lord and my Savior?  I look at my life and and wonder if there is enough evidence to convict me of being a Christian were I accused of it in a court of law.