2 Corinthians 12
1 To boast is not suitable for me; I will come to visions and revelations from the Lord.
I am compelled to boast. It is not a profitable employment, but I will proceed to visions and revelations granted me by the Lord.
2 I knew a man in Christ fourteen years ago; that such a one (whether in the body, I know not, or out of the body, I know not: God knows; ) was caught away to the third heaven.
I know a Christian man who fourteen years ago-- whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know; God knows--was caught up (this man of whom I am speaking) even to the highest Heaven.
3 I also know that such a man (whether in the body, or out of the body, I know not: God knows, )
And I know that this man-- whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know;
4 was caught away to Paradise, and heard words not to be spoken, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
God knows--was caught up into Paradise and heard unspeakable things which no human being is permitted to repeat.
5 Of such a one I will boast; but of myself I will not boast, unless in my infirmities.
Of such a one I will boast; but of myself I will not boast, except in my weaknesses.
6 For though I should choose to boast, I would not be void of understanding: for I will speak the truth. But I forbear, lest any one should think of me more than what he sees me to be, or what he hears of me.
If however I should choose to boast, I should not be a fool for so doing, for I should be speaking the truth. But I forbear, lest any one should be led to estimate me more highly than what his own eyes attest, or more highly than what he hears from my lips.
7 And, lest I should be too much exalted by the excellence of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, that I might not be too much exalted.
And judging by the stupendous grandeur of the revelations--therefore lest I should be over-elated there has been sent to me, like the agony of impalement, Satan's angel dealing blow after blow, lest I should be over-elated.
8 With regard to this, I three times entreated the Lord that it might leave me;
As for this, three times have I besought the Lord to rid me of him;
9 and he said to me: My grace is sufficient for you; for my power is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly, therefore, will I boast in my infirmities, that the power of the Christ may abide upon me.
but His reply has been, "My grace suffices for you, for power matures in weakness." Most gladly therefore will I boast of my infirmities rather than complain of them--in order that Christ's power may overshadow me.
10 For this reason, I take pleasure in infirmities, in outrages, in necessities, in persecutions, in straits, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong.
In fact I take pleasure in infirmities, in the bearing of insults, in distress, in persecutions, in grievous difficulties--for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
11 I have become of no understanding; you have compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you: I am in no respect inferior to the very greatest of the apostles, although I am nothing.
It is foolish of me to write all this, but you have compelled me to do so. Why, you ought to have been my vindicators; for in no respect have I been inferior to these superlatively great Apostles, even though in myself I am nothing.
12 Truly, the signs of an apostle were worked among you in all patience, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds.
The signs that characterize the true Apostle have been done among you, accompanied by unwearied fortitude, and by tokens and marvels and displays of power.
13 For what is it in which you were inferior to other churches, unless in this―that I did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong.
In what respect, therefore, have you been worse dealt with than other Churches, except that I myself never hung as a dead weight upon you? Forgive the injustice I thus did you!
14 Behold, I am ready the third time to come to you, and I will not burden you: for I seek not yours, but you. For the children ought not to lay up treasure for the parents, but the parents for the children.
See, I am now for the third time prepared to visit you, but I will not be a dead weight to you. I desire not your money, but yourselves; for children ought not to put by for their parents, but parents for their children.
15 I, indeed, will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.
And as for me, most gladly will I spend all I have and be utterly spent for your salvation.
16 Be it so, indeed; I did not burden you; but being crafty, I caught you by deceit.
If I love you so intensely, am I the less to be loved? Be that as it may: I was not a burden to you. But being by no means scrupulous, I entrapped you, they say!
17 Did I overreach you by any of those whom I sent to you?
Have I gained any selfish advantage over you through any one of the messengers I have sent to you?
18 I exhorted Titus, and with him sent the brother. Did Titus overreach you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same steps?
I begged Titus to visit you, and sent our other brother with him. Did Titus gain any selfish advantage over you? Were not he and I guided by one and the same Spirit, and did we not walk in the same steps?
19 Do you think again that we offer you a defense of ourselves? We speak all these things before God in Christ, beloved, for your edification.
You are imagining, all this time, that we are making our defense at your bar. In reality it is as in God's presence and in communion with Christ that we speak; but, dear friends, it is all with a view to your progress in goodness.
20 For I fear, lest when I come I shall find you not, such as I wish, and I shall be found by you not such as you wish: lest there shall be contentions, envies, excitements, strife, evil speaking, whisperings, party spirit, disorderly conduct:
For I am afraid that perhaps when I come I may not find you to be what I desire, and that you may find me to be what you do not desire; that perhaps there may be contention, jealousy, bitter feeling, party spirit, ill-natured talk, backbiting, undue eulogy, unrest;
21 lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and I shall mourn over many of those who have already sinned, and have not repented of the uncleanness and lewdness and wantonness which they have committed.
and that upon re-visiting you I may be humbled by my God in your presence, and may have to mourn over many whose hearts still cling to their old sins, and who have not repented of the impurity, fornication, and gross sensuality, of which they have been guilty.
