# Connecting Statement:

Paul reminds the believers in Corinth of the true signs of an apostle and of his humility before them to strengthen them.

# I have become a fool

"I am acting like a fool"

# You forced me to this

"You forced me to talk this way"

# I should have been praised by you

This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "it is praise that you should have given me" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]])

# praised

Possible meanings are 1) "praise" ([2 Corinthians 03:1](../03/01.md)) or 2) "recommend" ([2 Corinthians 04:2](../04/01.md)).

# For I was not at all inferior to

By using the negative form, Paul is saying strongly that those Corinthians who think that he is inferior are wrong. Alternate translation: "For I am just as good as" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-litotes]])

# super-apostles

Paul uses irony here to show that those teachers are less important then people say they are. See how this is translated in [2 Corinthians 11:05](../11/05.md). Alternate translation: "those teachers whom some think are better than anyone else" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-irony]])