 with chapter 11, right? So chapter 11, so we were looking at, let me just project the, yeah, so we were looking at chapter 11 versus seven onwards. So 7th, 11, he's saying, you know, he's not at all inferior to the most eminent or, you know, the ones, the apostles whom you think are very good of great caliber. We are, you know, we are not at all, I'm not at all inferior to any of them, okay? And he goes on to say about a speech. Yes, he was not like them. You could not speak in a polished way, sophisticated way. They were all trained orators, whereas he was not. So he says that. And then he also, truthfully, he says, you know, though I might be untrained in maybe the way to communicate through speech and all that, but I'm not so when it comes to knowledge, okay? And verse seven, he says, you know, did I, did I commit sin? Did I sin in humbling myself and not really taking money from you for my rifle expenses when I came and shared the gospel? And he says, I robbed other churches, taking wages from them to minister to you. And he also mentions the Macedonian church. You know, what I lacked, even when I was present with you, you know, for my expenses, I did not take money from you, okay? I did not, I was a burden to no one. I did not want to be a burden to anyone. I did not take money from you. What I lacked financially, speaking, what I lacked, the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied. So Macedonia region, Philippi and, you know, the surrounding regions, they, he mentions about that church, you know, those churches inverse, sorry, in chapter eight, he talks about how these churches were actually poor churches, but they gave, right? So saying, you know, these churches actually gave, right? They gave. And in a sense, it seemed as if I was robbing other churches. You know, it's not saying, you know, it's not like he actually robbed, but he's saying it seemed like that. I was robbing other churches in order to minister to you. Like, you know, he's saying I was taking wages from the other churches in order to minister to you. So I was a burden to no one. I did not, you know, I did not take any expense from you. So we see the same thing, Paul writing to the efficient church and he says, you know, I coveted no one silver, gold, clothing, and you know that I worked with these hands in order to provide for the need and so on. So, and Paul also says, you know, I will continue to do this. Okay, verse 12, okay. I will continue to do this just a minute, sorry. So Paul says, you know, I will continue to do this. I will continue to live in this manner, right. And he says, you know, I'll make this my boast, okay. That yes, that I will not burden you, so that's my boast that I will provide for my own needs, you know, that's my boast, I will labor, you know, these things I will continue to do, okay. So verse 12 onwards, he says, what I do, I will also continue to do that I may cut off the opportunity, okay. So we need to see that carefully. I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast. So here are some people, here are some ministers of God and they are, they are, they are boasting about themselves. They are boasting about, they are even saying that, you know, they're comparing themselves to Paul and the ministry team. So they are boasting about this. So he's boasting about, you know, how effective they are, et cetera. So now he's saying, you know, I will not give them an opportunity to boast. I'll cut off the opportunity, right. I will give them, I will not give them an opportunity to boast like that because this is how I'm living, right. I'm living, I'm not being a burden to you. And this is how I'm ministering in my ministry. I'm not coming and demanding anything. And even my expenses, I'm trying to, you know, meet those expenses with my own work, with my own labor. Okay. So he says, you know, I will give them, I will not give them an opportunity to boast because in this area they cannot boast because I know that they are not living like that. They are not living like that, right. And verse 13, for such are false apostles. The way they live, false apostles are like that. In other words, he's saying, you know, these are false apostles. You know, earlier he said, we're talking about another Jesus. They're talking about bringing, sharing another spirit. They're bringing another gospel, right. So he's saying for such a false apostles, even their lifestyle and everything, such are false apostles. Deceitful workers, okay. So they are workers, but they are working with lies and deception, wanting to cheat people, one pretending to do something, but actually wanting to, you know, defraud or cheat people, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ, okay. So he's saying such are false apostles. Now, these false apostles, their lifestyle is different, their message is different, such are they, right. And he's saying, no wonder, why? He's saying, you know, why are the false apostles like that? Because Satan himself transforms into an angel of light. Okay, so these are false apostles. Outwardly, they put on a big show, but inwardly, you know, they're full of deception. Like they are motives are not pure. The way they live is not pure. And they like Satan, how he transforms himself into an angel of light. You know, outwardly, the appearance wise, it's like an angel of light. People are drawn, saying, wow, wonderful. But, you know, the apostles are like that. Transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. Verse 14, and no wonder for Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. So just like how Satan does transform himself, so also the apostles, false apostles, they transform. Verse 15, for it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works, meaning they are actually serving Satan. Okay, he's saying his ministers, he's referring to these false apostles as Satan's ministers, right? And what are they doing? They are transforming themselves into ministers of righteousness. They are trying to portray themselves and make themselves look as if they are ministers of righteousness, but their end, the end result will be according to their works. Their works are denying it, right? So he's saying, you know, they are full of deceit, they are full of guile, and this is their practice. So, yeah. So in a sense, he's warning the people, warning the church against the false apostles, right? He's warning them against the message they bring, he's warning them against the manner of the spirit in which by which they minister, he's warning them against the gospel they bring, you know, what they are sharing, and the kind, the Lord, the Jesus himself, you know, what are they portraying, who are they portraying, right? So all that he wants them about, and so he exposes their ministry, right? Verse 16, I say again, let no one think me a fool, if otherwise at least receive me as a fool that I may, I also may boast a little. What I speak, I speak not according to the Lord, but as it were foolishly in this confidence of boasting. Seeing that many boast according to the flesh, I also will boast. For you put up with fools gladly, since you yourselves are wise. For you put up with it if one brings you into bondage, if one devours you, if one takes from you, if one exalts himself, if one strikes you on the face. To our shame, I say that we were too weak for that. But in whatever anyone is bold, I speak foolishly, I am bold also. So here again, he's talking about, you know, what has actually happened about these false apostles. He's saying, you know, I'm boasting. He's saying in a sense, you know, I'm talking about myself, myself and my life, and it looks like boasting, it looks like foolish boasting, right? So please receive me as a fool, okay? It seems foolish, but he's saying just listen, receive me as a fool, okay, no problem. I know it looks foolish to talk about myself and to boast, you know, about myself, but you listen, receive me as a fool, that I may boast a little, okay? And what I'm speaking and saying, I'm not, you know, saying according to the Lord in the sense that it's not inspired, but what is happening, I'm just declaring to you, okay? Since that many boast according to the flesh, I also will boast for, and he's saying, you know, many people are boasting and it's all the boasters according to the flesh. He's referring to the false apostles. He's referring to those in the Corinthian church, some of them in the Corinthian church also, you know, who are boasting. So he's saying, so I will also boast, okay? I will also talk about this, okay? Now, he, earlier he talked about how they, how the false apostles, you know, he talks about certain things, right? He describes them. He says they are deceitful workers who three things he mentions earlier. Sorry, yeah. So they're deceitful workers who conceal the truth, misrepresent the truth. So he's saying they are deceitful, right? Secondly, he says they are unrighteous, right? They disguise in order to portray themselves as apostles of Christ, but actually they are not. Just like how Satan transforms himself into an angel of light, they do that also. And their reward will be according to their works. Okay, here he continues to describe the false apostles. And he, you know, this verse 20 talks about that. And so let's look at some of the things that he says, okay? Verse point number four here, he says they bring into bondage. Okay, that is one of their traits. They bring into bondage. He says, for you put up with it, saying, you know, you are tolerating that, but this is what is happening, right? If one brings you into bondage, bondage to sin, bondage to false doctrine, false teaching, they are doing that. And he also says they devour, if one devours you, now you're tolerating that. Also, they are devouring you. So devour means to literally, the word use there means to waste or forcibly take away or ruin you. Okay, so, you know, in normal English, it just means that, you know, one is completely eating you up, right? Devouring you. So they are wasting you. They are forcibly taking away certain things from you. They are ruining your life, but you're tolerating that, okay? So we see that false apostles, they devour, they do this. And he says, again, if one takes from you, so they are literally, they are taking, they are taking what belongs rightfully to another person. So they take away that, they either manipulate, exploit through lies, they are taking away, you know, what belongs to them, material things and finances and all that, they are taking away from you. And then it says, if one exalts himself, right? So the false apostle exalts oneself and not the Lord Jesus, right? They exalt themselves in the name or in the, what is the reason? They are ministering the gospel and they say that they're ministering the gospel and in doing so, they exalt themselves. They talk highly about themselves. They talk highly about their accomplishments. They're exalting themselves, right? And lastly he says, if one strikes you on the face, literally they are, you know, hitting the believers on the face, maybe by their conduct, by the words they speak, by the way they live the life, they literally, it's like hitting them on their face. So he's saying, you know, he's listing all this and he's saying, okay, these are the characteristics of whom you call as, whom you have, you know, tolerated as apostles who have been visiting, ministering, or in the name of ministry, you know, who've been doing all this in your life. So he's saying, you know, you put up with it. Verse 21 says to our shame, I say, you know, he's saying that in a very sarcastic manner, he's saying, you know, we are too weak for all this. We won't do it, right? We are too weak to live like that. Yes, we are weak people. In what way we can't, we can't do this. We don't want to do this. Yeah, so that, do you have a question? No, sir, you said it was an accident. Okay, okay, no problem. Sorry, that's fine. So we're saying, you know, we are too weak to do this. Yes, we are weak people, you know, because earlier he says, no, you are saying that this person is weak. You're saying that Paul is weak. Apostle Paul is weak. You're saying that, you know, these people are weak. You're saying, yeah, we are weak because we are too weak to do all this. The way these other people are, you know, doing this to you, bringing into bondage, wasting your life, wasting the things, taking away from you, ruining you. It's literally like hitting you on the face. Yeah, we are too weak to do this, right? In other words, he's saying, you know, we've never done that and we'll never do this and we don't do that. No, he's just saying, you know, in other words, he's saying, just open your eyes and see. See the difference, right? They are not actually apostles of Christ. See the difference, okay? And here, from verse 22 onwards, he talks about, he's again comparing him personally and he's comparing him with the other apostles and then he goes on to talk about some of the things that he personally has undergone in ministry, what he underwent in ministry, right? So here, he's sharing that. He's saying verse 22 onwards, are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. Are they ministers of Christ? I speak as a fool. I am more. And he goes on to talk from here till I think it's verse 33, right? Verse 33, he talks about his experience, okay? So he asks some questions, you know, are they Hebrews? He says, so am I. And so he, the question is, the answer to that is yes, you know, they are Hebrews and he's saying, so am I, I'm also a Hebrew. Are they Israelites? Well, I'm also an Israelite. Are they seed of Abraham or their descendants of Abraham? Like in naturally speaking, yes, so am I. I'm also a descendant of Abraham. Are they ministers of Christ? So then he goes on to say, you know, yes, I speak, I am more than, they are more of a minister of Christ than they are, okay? If you think that these are qualifications, right? They are physical birth and they are background and they are descended from the Jews. Jews from the Israelites and, you know, from Abraham, saying, yes, I qualify. I also qualify, okay? But he goes on to talk about some of the other qualifications, he say, are they ministers of Christ? And he says, I am more than that. I am more, you know, I'm a servant of Christ, I am more than that, okay? And he goes on to say what his qualifications are to say that he's more of a minister of Christ than them. What are his qualifications? Very interesting to see that, right? Verse 22 onwards, 233, okay? So he says, I am more in labors, more abundant in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently in deaths often. From the Jews, five times I received 40 stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day, I have been in the deep. In journeys, often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils, peril meaning danger, right? In perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren. In weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside the other things, what comes upon me daily, my deep concern for all the churches. Who is weak and am I not weak? Who is made to stumble and I'm not, I do not burn with indignation. If I must boast, I must boast in the things which concern my infirmity. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who's blessed forever, knows that I'm not lying. In Damascus, the governor, under Eriters, the king was guarding the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desiring to arrest me. But I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped from their hands. So he's describing all the dangers, all the difficulties and all the persecution and everything that he went through as a minister of Christ, as a servant of Christ. And the word he uses there, as a minister, is a humble servant. The Greek diaconas means a menial worker, someone who doesn't mind getting his hands dirty, a menial laborer. So he says, this is how I was, this is how I ministered, and therefore these are my qualifications or credentials to be the minister of God. So he's saying I will boast concerning my weakness, like feebleness, he uses the word infirmity and the Greek word means feebleness of body or feebleness, weakness of body and mind. He says, and then he says, I was let down in a basket in Damascus and people were guarding and I escaped in that manner. So this is how I lived, this is how I ministered. Okay, so he continues in the same manner in chapter 12 where he's talking about his ministry, but he's also, now he goes, first he starts with all the difficulties, all the challenges and all the discomfort that he has faced in ministry and has continued to minister, right? Not only facing that, he's continued to minister despite that and for him, for Paul, that's a qualification. He says, I minister as a servant and as a servant, I have undergone all these difficulties and for me, it's nothing, it's like, for me, this is just a qualification, which is just like my credentials in ministry. Okay, that's how he considers it, right? And then he, sorry, in chapter 12, he goes on to talk about some of his spiritual experiences, some of the encounters or one of them, he talks about that and also, he goes on to talk about the signs of the apostle. He talks about that. He talks about signs and wonders and so on, right? As much as the supernatural was part of his life, he says, these were also part of my life, these things that happened, these were also part of my life and these qualify me to be a servant of Christ, to be a minister of Christ, that is who I am. Okay, so he's comparing that with how the false apostles lived their lives. So they were living not as servants, but really to take from people. They were living to forcefully take, to cheat people, to feed on people, to take what belonged to people. Whereas Paul is saying, I did not even take any money from you, even for my rightful expenses, right? So which is fine, this is the way the Lord instituted it, that those who share the gospel must live by the gospel in the sense, in another place where Paul says, those who are taught the word, let them share in everything, in material things with the ones who teach them. So this is how God instituted it, but then he's saying, and he's going beyond it, and he's saying, I did not take anything, I decided that I will take care of my needs or others were giving, and I received that and I did not take from you. So probably Paul knew some of these problems and he didn't want anyone to blame his ministry. Even when it comes to money being taken from here to Jerusalem, to the poor in Jerusalem, he puts in some of those safety measures. He says, we will make sure that this goes and reaches safely and it's used in the right manner, but you choose, you will take that person, whom you choose and you appoint so that there's no pointing of fingers, there's no blame or anything, there's no blaming, right? So we will make sure that that is used in the right manner. So probably Paul felt that this kind of thing was there in the church, so he's taking all these precautions. So yeah, so chapter 11, we see some of these things. So we get an insight into the kind of difficulties it was there during, which was there during Paul's time. We know that travel was not safe, travel was not as comfortable as it is now, right? They had to travel on horses or donkeys and if it was land, they had to travel on ships and boats if it was sea and it was not sturdy, it was not the safest ones, safe modes of transport because well, they were not as sophisticated as they've lived as they are now. So if there was a storm, if there was something there, they would, they had every chance of losing their lives, but on top of that, he was also being hunted down, right? He was his own countrymen, we say, we mentioned that, right? In perils of my own countrymen, in perils of robbers, so there were other human beings, other people who were out to get him, maybe Robin and also, you know, all these things were happening. So he lists down all that. So we get an insight into the difficulties of doing ministry, right? All the difficulties that were there during this time and despite that, he went on these missionary journeys. So when we think of missionary journeys, it's, you know, today when we say, okay, we go from here to the other place and we think of taking a train or a plane or whatever, it's so comfortable, right? And it's safe and so on, but it wasn't so. And so we are able to, you know, appreciate the kind of zeal, the kind of ministry that Paul did and definitely by the grace of God, like he himself, you know, he himself accepts it because of the grace of God, nothing else. But the fact is that he was willing to labor even more, right? Okay. So any questions on further questions on chapter 10, chapter 11, before we move on to chapter 12 or anything that you noticed, that you saw, which was very, very, you know, something that spoke to you, something that, some of the things that you noticed you could share about that as well. Chapter 10 and chapter 11. So for me, you know, the takeaway is that, you know, he's describing the false apostles in chapter 11 and also to a certain extent in chapter 10, yeah, chapter 10 and 11, right? So those are some takeaways, you know, some lessons that we should not even entertain such thoughts to live like that. Those are some things to completely avoid. And chapter 10, we see a very good explanation about the kind of weapons that we have to live and to fight the spiritual warfare and the kind of weapons and the kind of effect or the kind of results it will actually bring, casting down arguments and strongholds and everything that exalts itself against the knowledge of Christ and bringing every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. So, you know, we have these spiritual weapons, the Word of God, the blood of the Lamb, the name of Jesus and a lot of business that he's covered us with and all that, right? So the thing is for us to live that kind of a life, to live that spiritual life, to live that overcoming life with the spiritual weapons, right? So that is something, yeah. Paul lived a life to be an example to the unbelievers, to the unbelievers and to the believers as well, right? Okay. Anything else, any other things that you noticed? What is your takeaway? What is your learning? Kannan said anything that you noticed, anything that you learned? Okay. So then let's move on to chapter 12. And chapter 12 also, he's talking about how he ministered as an apostle and some of the details he shares. So let's look at that. This is chapter 12. It's just coming up on the screen, I think. Yeah, yes, Aaron. So even though he was in the flesh, right? So that's also a very important point that we live in the flesh. We live as human beings, but we don't have to fight. So which means there is an option. See, you can choose to fight a carnal fight, okay? According to the flesh you can fight, right? Which means you, you know, you lash out in anger or you know, the thing is many of these things, let's say, a spiritual attack could come through people, right? Right through a false apostle, through, you know, Satan will use anyone, right, to come against us. So when we say, you know, I'm fighting a spiritual battle, even though I'm a human being, the options that are available for me are to fight a carnal battle, to fight a spiritual battle. So when I find a carnal battle, that will be against the person, against the person whom Satan is using as a tool, that fight will be against that person. But when I find this, fight a spiritual battle, it'll be against the spirit behind, which is causing that confusion or against the enemy, the actual enemy, the source, which is actually influencing or manipulating the person, right? The spirit behind the person. So, or the spirit that is causing this kind of confusion or whatever. So the spiritual battle is actually that, right? So yeah, when you say, he chose to war with the, you know, in the spirit. So that means that he chose. Yeah, there was an option, but he chose. So he chose to not, he chose not to fight the person or the people, but the spirits that were, you know, influencing, directing them, controlling them. Yeah. Yeah, yes, Kiran. So spiritual side, we can be strong. Yeah, when we fight that battle, we will be strong. These are very, nothing compared to carnal weapons, right? The spiritual weapons are of God. That's what we see. One of the description, the way in which these spiritual weapons are described, that is in chapter 10 and verse 4, the weapons of a warfare are not carnal, but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, which means that, hey, these are godly weapons, right? So there's no way that these weapons cannot be effective in the battle. These are godly weapons. So the only way it can be ineffective in the sense, if I don't use it right, or if I don't continue using it, or if I out of fear or discouragement, I stop using these weapons. That's the only way these weapons will be ineffective or the spiritual battle will be ineffective because these weapons are mighty in God, and they do all this, they're mighty in God for pulling down, casting down, and bringing to captivity, all these things happen, right? Okay, so we have some more time. We'll start with chapter 12, and we might have to continue in the next class. So we'll start with chapter 12. Firstly, he talks about the encounter that he had. Let's look at that. It is doubtful, not profitable for me to boast, I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who 14 years ago, whether in the body I do not know, whether out of the body I do not know, God knows, such a one was caught up to the third heaven, and I know such a man, whether in the body or out of the body, I do not know, God knows, how he was caught up into paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. Of such a one I will boast, yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities. Before I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool, for I will speak the truth, but I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears me to be. So Paul is saying, I will boast of this person who has had this kind of experience. He's talking about himself. It's just a way of explaining. I will come to visions and revelations, and then I know a man in Christ. He's referring to himself, but he's talking about himself in this manner. So he's saying, although boasting will not achieve anything good or useful, but I want to share this spiritual experience. So he says he was caught up to the third heavens. He's referring to himself as a man in Christ. He says he was caught up to the third heaven. And about this experience, he's not sure whether it was in his body or out of body. So whether he, like his body was here, and then he was lifted up in the spirit to the third heavens, he's not sure. Or whether he physically, he was lifted up, he was taken there. That also he's not sure. But he says whether in the body or out of the body, I do not know, but this is what happened. Had this experience, out of body experience, or the spiritual encounter. And he heard words which it says, it was not permitted to repeat these words, something that he heard there. And is not given permission to speak these words. It's not permitted for one to. It's not lawful for a man to utter here on earth. So heavenly words that he heard, now we don't know what is it that he saw and heard, but he was caught up in paradise and heard inexpressible words. That is what he says that he had this experience. And he says, you know, but of myself, I will not boast. And he kind of puts it in a very humble way so that people don't, you know, look beyond him. They don't consider him to be something larger than life, bigger than life. And so he talks about, you know, you don't see him talk about his spiritual experiences in any of the other apostles, I mean, sorry, epistles, right? See, in any of the other letters, he doesn't mention any such experiences. The first time he chooses to write to the church and share about his spiritual experience, right? And so he says that, yeah, I will not boast about it, but this is what happened. Okay. And he says, I'd rather choose to boast in my infirmities. You know, this weakness of body, weakness of mind, as a human being, you know, whatever I go through, I'd rather boast about those. Okay. And later on, he, or in the following verses, he talks about why he will boast, the reason for his boasting and what it accomplishes, right? Okay. Let's look at verses seven onwards. And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelation. So which means that he received, this was one such thing. He received many such revelations, right? So this was one such experience. He heard words, not permitted, not lawful for a person to utter in the earthly realm. He saw this. So he's saying, you know, lest I should be boasted above measure by the abundance of revelations. You know, we know that God revealed to him about the cross, the depth of revelation, which was, which was not there in the previous times, in the previous dispensation. God chose him to reveal, right? Reveal to the, sorry, to the world the kind of revelation that he, the mysteries that were revealed to him, right? So we see all that happening. And Paul says that lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of revelation. A thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Christ to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing, I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And he said to me, my grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, most gladly, I will rather boast in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities and reproaches in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake, for when I am weak, then I am strong. So this is the, so he gives the reason for boasting in his infirmities and because of the Lord's assurance that his grace is sufficient and his strength is made perfect or his strength is available and just suited and just right to take care of that weakness. So this, we will again revisit seven onwards. We will look at in our next class for there's some more that we need to consider because he talks about the thorn in the flesh. So what is the thorn in the flesh? Why does he say that he boasts in his infirmities? We will look at it in depth in the next class. Okay, so just a minute, sorry. Okay, so we'll stop here. You have a good weekend. God bless. We'll meet again.