< 2 Corinthians 12 >
1 It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.
Glorying must be, but it is not profitable: so I proceed to visions and revelations of our Lord.
2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knows; ) such an one caught up to the third heaven.
I knew a man in the Messiah fourteen years ago, (but whether in a body, or whether out of a body, I know not; God knoweth: ) who was caught up to the third region of heaven.
3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knows; )
And I knew this same man; (but whether in a body, or out of a body, I know not; God knoweth; )
4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, (rhema) which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
and he was caught up to Paradise, and heard ineffable words, which it is not permitted a man to utter.
5 Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.
Of him I will glory: but of myself I will not glory, except in my infirmities.
6 For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he sees me to be, or that he hears of me.
Yet if I were disposed to glory, I should not be without reason; for I declare the truth. But I refrain, lest any one should think of me, beyond what he seeth in me and heareth from me.
7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
And, that I might not be uplifted by the excellency of the revelations, there was imparted to me a thorn in my flesh, the angel of Satan, to buffet me, that I might not be uplifted.
8 For this thing I besought the Lord three times, that it might depart from me.
Respecting this, I thrice besought my Lord, that it might depart from me.
9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for you: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
And he said to me, My grace is sufficient for thee; for my power is perfected in weakness. Gladly, therefore, will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of the Messiah may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
Therefore I have pleasure in infirmities, in reproach, in afflictions, in persecutions, in distresses, which are for the Messiah's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
11 I am become a fool in glorying; all of you have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing.
Behold, I have become foolish in my glorying, for ye compelled me. For ye ought to bear witness for me; because I was inferior in nothing to those legates who most excel, although I was nothing.
12 Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.
I wrought among you the signs of the legates, with all patience; and in prodigies, and in wonders, and in mighty deeds.
13 For what is it wherein all of you were inferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong.
For in what fell ye short of the other churches; except in this, that I was not burdensome to you? Forgive me this fault.
14 Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not your's but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.
Behold, this third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not burden you; for I seek not yours, but you: for children ought not to lay up treasures for the parents, but the parents for their children.
15 And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.
And cheerfully will I both pay my expenses, and also give myself for your souls; although the more I love you, the less ye love me.
16 But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile.
But perhaps, though I was not burdensome to you, yet, like a cunning man, I filched from you by craftiness!
17 Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you?
Was it by the hand of some other person whom I sent to you, that I pilfered from you?
18 I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus make a gain of you? walked we not in the same spirit? (pneuma) walked we not in the same steps?
I requested Titus, and with him I sent the brethren: did Titus pilfer any thing from you? Did we not walk in one spirit, and in the same steps?
19 Again, think all of you that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying.
Do ye again suppose, that we would apologize to you? Before God, in the Messiah we speak: and all these things, my beloved, are for the sake of your edification.
20 For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as all of you would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:
For I fear, lest I should come to you and not find you such as I would wish; and lest I also should be found by you, such as ye would not wish; lest there should be contention, and envying, and anger, and obstinacy, and slandering, and murmuring, and insolence, and commotion;
21 And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall mourn for many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.
lest, when I come to you, my God should humble me; and I should mourn over many, who have sinned, and have not repented of the impurity, the whoredom, and the lasciviousness, which they have committed.