2 Corinthians 12

1 To boast, indeed, is not profitable to me; yet I will proceed to visions and revelations of the Lord.

It is not expedient for me no doubt to reioyce: for I will come to visions and reuelations of the Lord.

2 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.

I know a man in Christ aboue fourteene yeeres agone, (whether he were in the body, I can not tell, or out of the body, I can not tell: God knoweth) which was taken vp into the thirde heauen.

3 Indeed, I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I do not know: )

And I knowe such a man (whether in the body, or out of the body, I can not tell: God knoweth)

4 that he was suddenly conveyed away into paradise, and heard unspeakable things, which are not lawful for man to utter.

How that he was taken vp into Paradise, and heard words which cannot be spoken, which are not possible for man to vtter.

5 Concerning such a one I will boast; but concerning myself I will not boast, except of my weaknesses.

Of such a man will I reioyce: of my selfe will I not reioyce, except it bee of mine infirmities.

6 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.

For though I woulde reioyce, I should not be a foole, for I will say the trueth: but I refraine, lest any man should thinke of me aboue that hee seeth in me, or that he heareth of me.

7 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.

And lest I should be exalted out of measure through the aboundance of reuelations, there was giuen vnto me a pricke in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet mee, because I should not be exalted out of measure.

8 Concerning this, I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

For this thing I besought the Lord thrise, that it might depart from me.

9 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.

And he said vnto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my power is made perfect through weakenesse. Very gladly therefore will I reioyce rather in mine infirmities, that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

10 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.

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproches, in necessities, in persecutions, in anguish for Christes sake: for when I am weake, then am I strong.

11 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.

I was a foole to boast my selfe: yee haue compelled mee: for I ought to haue bene commended of you: for in nothing was I inferiour vnto the very chiefe Apostles, though I bee nothing.

12 Truly the signs of an Apostle were fully wrought among you with all patience, by signs and wonders, and powers.

The signes of an Apostle were wrought among you with all patience, with signes, and wonders, and great workes.

13 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.

For what is it, wherein yee were inferiours vnto other Churches, except that I haue not bene slouthfull to your hinderance? forgiue me this wrong.

14 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.

Behold, the thirde time I am ready to come vnto you, and yet will I not be slouthfull to your hinderance: for I seeke not yours, but you: for the children ought not to laye vp for the fathers, but the fathers for the children.

15 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.

And I will most gladly bestow, and will be bestowed for your soules: though the more I loue you, the lesse I am loued.

16 Be it so, then, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile!

But bee it that I charged you not: yet for as much as I was craftie, I tooke you with guile.

17 With respect to any one of them I sent to you, did I by him make gain of you?

Did I pill you by any of them whom I sent vnto you?

18 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?

I haue desired Titus, and with him I haue sent a brother: did Titus pill you of any thing? walked we not in the selfe same spirit? walked we not in the same steppes?

19 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.

Againe, thinke yee that wee excuse our selues vnto you? we speake before God in Christ. But wee doe all thinges, dearely beloued, for your edifying.

20 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.

For I feare least when I come, I shall not finde you such as I would: and that I shalbe found vnto you such as ye woulde not, and least there be strife, enuying, wrath, contentions, backebitings, whisperings, swellings and discord.

21 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.

I feare least when I come againe, my God abase me among you, and I shall bewaile many of them which haue sinned already, and haue not repented of the vncleannesse, and fornication, and wantonnesse which they haue committed.