1 Would to God (see 1 Cor. 4:8) you could bear with me a little in my folly (he speaks colloquial Greek a lot): and indeed you do bear with me. (This is a bad translation. What Paul really meant was, "I'm going to be very serious. Listen closely".)
2 For I am jealous over you (see Acts 7:9) with of God jealousy (it means a great jealousy. Cp. Act 7:20. He is afraid they are going to fall off): for I espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. (Wont be fooled.)
3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent deceived Eve in his craftiness (Gr. expataō, means wholly seduced, spiritually and physically, he laid with her, and she conceived Cain), so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is towards Christ. (Paul warns us that Satan wants your spiritual virginity. If you allow your mind to be clouded with the traditions of men, your spiritual virginity is at risk.)
4 For if he that comes preaches another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if you receive another spirit, which you have not received, or another gospel, which you have not accepted, you might well bear with him. (The meaning is, if the false teacher professed to bring a fresh gospel, there might be some excuse for their hearing what he had to say, but it is the same as Paul's message. Paul doesn't want you to be deceived and loose your spiritual virginity to antichrist. The false Christ will return before Jesus Christ returns at the 2nd advent.)
5 For I reckon I was in nothing behind the very chiefest apostles. (This is said ironically of the claims of those who derided him.)
6 But even if I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been in every way made manifest among you in all things. (Paul had the right to brag. He was very knowledgeable in God's Word.)
7 Have I committed an sin in abasing myself in order that you might be exalted, because I preached to you the gospel of God freely? (As a free gift. See Rom. 8:24.)
8 I robbed (cp. Acts 19:37) other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service.
9 And when I was present with you, and was in need, I distressed no man: for my need the brethren when they came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so will I keep myself.
10 As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me (lit. this glorying shall not be stopped to me) of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.
11 Wherefore? because I love you not? God knows.
12 But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion (pull the rug from under them); that in what they glory, they may be found even as we.
13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming (to transfigure or disguise. Wolf in sheep's clothing. See 1 John 3:11-14) themselves into apostles of Christ. (They were pretending to be apostles of Christ.)
14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. (Rev. 12. Mark 13. Dan. 9. The word "transformed" can also mean "disguised". Satan will return as antichrist disguised as Jesus. When Satan is cast onto earth as antichrist, he is going to be disguised as a lamb. He is actually a wolf in sheep's clothing. Many will be deceived. Be careful! God's elect will excel. God's elect will overcome the antichrist.)
15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. (God is against those that hunt souls to make them fly [Ezekiel 13:20]. Yet, today we have false teachers leading people to Satan's doctrine of rapture from the very pulpits from which they should be hearing the doctrine of Jesus Christ. It is very appropriate that judgment begins at the pulpits. They all get what they deserve, and that is fair.)
16 I say again, let no one think me a fool; if not, yet as a fool receive me, that I may glory myself a little.
17 That which I speak, I speak it not according to the Lord, but as it were in folly, in this confidence of boasting. (You may think I am foolish; however, Paul is saying, "I tell you the truth". Paul wasn't one to boast, but he was a fantastic scholar of the manuscripts. He is telling them you are listening to false super preachers, let me have a chance to preach to you.)
18 Since many glory after the flesh, I also will glory.
19 For you suffer fools gladly, seeing you yourselves are wise. (They though themselves to be wise, but they were allowing the false teachers to make fools of them. Get ready for some of the "ifs".)
20 For you suffer, if a man enslave you, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you upon the face. (Christianity is suppose to set people free. Unfortunately, the false "super preachers" are leading God's children into shackles. They exalt themselves to the point your questions aren't worthy of answer. They exalt themselves above God's Word, when they say, "You don't need to understand the Book of Revelation, you're going to be gone". You're going to be gone alright, gone right into Satan's camp. Wise people don't listen to fools. Wise people don't allow religion to put them in bondage. Truth set you free [John 8:32].)
21 I speak according to shame, that we had been weak [as they say]. However in whatever any dares, (I speak foolishly,) I dare also. (Don't allow anyone to utilize religion to put you in bondage. Christianity isn't a religion; it's a reality. Be thankful for the knowledge of the mystery God has given you. Be there for God, when the antichrist appears on earth. God's elect excel.)
22 Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.
23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak being beside myself) I am more; in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths often.
24 By the Judeans five times received I forty stripes beside one. (See Deut. 25:3.)
25 Thrice was I beaten with rods (see Acts 16:22), once was I stoned (at Lystra, Acts 14:19), thrice I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have been in the deep; (Before this was written Paul made at least 7 voyages, and possibly more.)
26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of bandits (see John 18:40), in perils from my own nation, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; (Only a few of these sufferings are described in Paul's history as recorded in Acts.)
27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. (See Rom. 8:35, and cp. 1 Cor. 4:11.)
28 Apart from the things that are without, that which comes upon me daily (lit. my crowd. The daily crowd of matters demanding his attention. Besides the letters which have come down to us, he must have written many others in answer to those from his converts. See 1 Cor. 5:9; 7:1), the care of all the churches.
29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? (Here it means, with zeal or indignation.)
30 If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things of my infirmities.
31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knows that I lie not.
32 In Damascus the governor (it means a prefect) under Aretas (the father-in-law of Herod Antipas) the king the city with a guard, wishing to apprehend me: (No doubt to please the "Jews", i.e. Kenites, in Damascus. Acts 12:3; 24:27; 25:9.)
33 And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall (see Acts 20:9), and escaped his hands.