2 Corinthians 12
1 I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to gain, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord.
To boast, indeed, is not profitable to me; yet I will proceed to visions and revelations of the Lord.
2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of it I do not know, but God knows.
I knew a man in Christ fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I do not know; God knows: ) such a one suddenly conveyed away to the third heaven.
3 And I know that this man—whether in the body or out of it I do not know, but God knows—
Indeed, I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I do not know: )
4 was caught up to Paradise. The things he heard were too sacred for words, things that man is not permitted to tell.
that he was suddenly conveyed away into paradise, and heard unspeakable things, which are not lawful for man to utter.
5 I will boast about such a man, but I will not boast about myself, except in my weaknesses.
Concerning such a one I will boast; but concerning myself I will not boast, except of my weaknesses.
6 Even if I wanted to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me,
Yet if I should incline to boast, I shall not be a fool; for I will speak the truth: but I forbear, lest any one should think concerning me, above what he sees me to be, or what he hears from me.
7 or because of these surpassingly great revelations. So to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.
Indeed, that I might not be exalted above measure by the transcendency of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.
Concerning this, I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
9 But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me.
But he said to me, My favor is sufficient for you, besides, my power is perfected in weakness: most gladly, therefore, I will boast rather of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell upon me.
10 That is why, for the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Wherefore, I am well pleased with weaknesses, with insults, with necessities, with persecutions, with distresses, for Christ's sake; because when I am weak, then I am strong.
11 I have become a fool, but you drove me to it. In fact, you should have commended me, since I am in no way inferior to those “super-apostles,” even though I am nothing.
Have I become a fool--? You have constrained me to it; for I ought to have been commended by you, because I am in nothing behind the very greatest Apostles, though I am nothing.
12 The true marks of an apostle—signs, wonders, and miracles—were performed among you with great perseverance.
Truly the signs of an Apostle were fully wrought among you with all patience, by signs and wonders, and powers.
13 In what way were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!
For what is the thing in which you were inferior to other congregations, unless that I myself have not been burdensome to you? Forgive me this injury.
14 See, I am ready to come to you a third time, and I will not be a burden, because I am not seeking your possessions, but you. For children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.
Behold, a third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be burdensome to you; because I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.
15 And for the sake of your souls, I will most gladly spend my money and myself. If I love you more, will you love me less?
Yes, I most gladly will spend and be spent for the sake of your souls; even though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.
16 Be that as it may, I was not a burden to you; but crafty as I am, I caught you by trickery.
Be it so, then, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile!
17 Did I exploit you by anyone I sent you?
With respect to any one of them I sent to you, did I by him make gain of you?
18 I urged Titus to visit you, and I sent our brother with him. Did Titus exploit you in any way? Did we not walk in the same Spirit and follow in the same footsteps?
I besought Titus to go to you; and with him I sent a brother: did Titus make any gain of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same steps?
19 Have you been thinking all along that we were making a defense to you? We speak before God in Christ, and all of this, beloved, is to build you up.
Again, do you think that we apologize to you? In the presence of God we speak in Christ, that all these things, beloved, are done for your edification.
20 For I am afraid that when I come, I may not find you as I wish, and you may not find me as you wish. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, rage, rivalry, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder.
Yet I am afraid, lest, perhaps, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish: and that I shall be found by you, such as you do not wish: --lest, perhaps, there be among you strifes, emulations, wraths, brawlings, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults.
21 I am afraid that when I come again, my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of their acts of impurity, sexual immorality, and debauchery.
And lest, when I come again, my God may humble me among you; and I shall bewail many, who have formerly sinned, and have not reformed from the uncleanness, and fornication, and lasciviousness, which they have committed.
