What does 2 Corinthians 11:32 mean?

Paul has said in the previous verses that he would boast only in his weaknesses. He was not claiming to be powerful or impressive, as the false apostles in Corinth likely did. Even his use of the term "boasting," in this passage, is meant as a sideways criticism of the self-promoting false teachers. Paul is showing that he was weak, that he suffered and faced great danger, in order to give glory to Christ for what He accomplished through Paul. His success as an evangelist was not based in being invincible, lucky, or charismatic.

This verse gives another example of Paul's personal weakness from the very beginning of his Christian life (Acts 9:8–25). Aretas, a king in the city of Damascus, apparently agreed with the local Jewish religious leaders. He felt Paul's proclamation in the synagogue that Jesus was the Son of God was worthy of death. The king posted guards at the entrance to the city to catch Paul leaving town. Paul concludes the story in the following verse, but his point is that powerful men are not hunted by kings.