1. I would that you might bear with me in a little tipshus (foolery). Do bear with me!
2. For I have kinah for you, a kinat Hashem, for, as a shadkhan (marriage broker), I betrothed you to one ish (husband) to present you as a chaste betulah to Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach; [HOSHEA 2:19; SHIR HASHIRIM; Ep 5:26-27]
3. But I fear lest somehow as the Nachash deceived Chavah by his cunning [BERESHIS 3:1-6,13] your machshavot should be led astray from a simple and pure deveykus to Moshiach.
4. For if a darshan shows up and preaches another Moshiach, another "Yehoshua" ("Yeshua") other than the one in our drashot, or if you receive a different "Ruach Hakodesh" from the One you received or a different Besuras HaGeulah from the one regarding which you were mekabel, you put up with that well enough. [Ga 1: 8- 9]
5. For I consider to have come behind the most groise (eminent) Shlichim in absolutely nothing. [1C 15:10; 2C 12:11; Ga 2:6,9]
6. But if indeed I am unskilled in lashon [1C 1:17; 2:1,13] yet I am not in da'as (knowledge) [Ep 3:4] but in all ways and all things I have made this abundantly clear to you.
7. Or anshuldiks! (pardon!) did I commit averos by humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I proclaimed Hashem's Besuras HaGeulah to you free of charge? [1C 9:12, 18]
8. I robbed other of Moshiach's Kehillot, did I, in taking wages from them for the avodas kodesh work I did for you? [Pp 4:15]
9. And when I was present with you and I had lack, I did not burden anyone, [2C 12:13] for my lack was made up by the Achim b'Moshiach who came from Macedonia. So I was shomer not to make myself a burden to you and in that I will remain shomer.
10. As HaEmes of Moshiach is in me, that particular boasting of mine will not be silenced [1C 9:15] in the regions of Achaia!
11. Why? Because I do not have ahavah for you? Hashem knows that I do!
12. But what I do I will also continue to do in order to deny an opening to those who are looking for an opening by their ravrevan (braggart) boasting to be recognized as equals with us.
13. For such ones are shlichei sheker, deceitful po'alim, [Pp 3:2], transforming themselves in a masquerade as shlichim of Moshiach.
14. And no wonder! For even Hasatan transforms himself into a malach ohr (an angel of light);
15. It is no big 'megillah,' therefore, if also Hasatan's ministers transform themselves as ministers of Tzedek. Their end will be according to their ma'asim.
16. Listen here, let no one think me a tipesh (idiot). But if you do think me a yold (fool), then receive me as a yold that I, too, may boast ki hu zeh (a small amount). [2C 12:6]
17. What I speak in this bitachon of boasting, I speak not according to Moshiach Adoneinu, but as a yold.