2 Corinthians 11:21b-29

21:...But in whatever respect anyone else is bold—I speak in foolishness—I am just as bold myself.

22: Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. 23: Are they servants of Christ?—I speak as if insane—I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death.
24: Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes.
25: Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep.
26: I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; 
27: I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.
28: Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches.
29: Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern?

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After preparing the Corinthians for his “foolish” boasting which Paul decided to do because of those who had been trying to convince them that he was just a weak man without courage, he now began this boasting and told them what he had gone through for the sake of the gospel. First, he qualified himself as a Hebrew, an Israelite—a child of Abraham. In fact, he was a Pharisee before his conversion to Christ (Philippians 3:5).

Although Paul boasted of his standing and qualifications in the Jewish faith, he boasted more of being a servant of Christ. In fact, he said, he was more a servant of the Lord than his criticizers. He made it clear that this boasting he was doing was foolish, as if he were a madman, but continued on to list the trials and tribulations he had gone through for the gospel to prove his high level of service and dedication to the Lord. He spoke of numerous beatings, imprisonments, stoning, shipwrecks, dangers of all types, places and people, all while he felt the daily pressure and concern for all the churches.

This was the task of the apostles, to establish the Church. Caring for the new converts—teaching and guiding them in the ways of the Lord so they could become firmly established in the faith, was a pressure Paul felt daily. That alone would be difficult without all of the other hardships he experienced. Hardly the picture of a weak and cowardice man that his criticizers, and would-be usurpers, accused him of.