2 Corinthians 12
1 Glorying must be, but it is not profitable: so I proceed to visions and revelations of our 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 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.
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 And I knew this same man; (but whether in a body, or out of a body, I know not; God knoweth; )
And I know that this man-- whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know;
4 and he was caught up to Paradise, and heard ineffable words, which it is not permitted 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 him I will glory: but of myself I will not glory, except in my infirmities.
Of such a one I will boast; but of myself I will not boast, except in my weaknesses.
6 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.
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, 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.
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 Respecting this, I thrice besought my Lord, that it might depart from 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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 I wrought among you the signs of the legates, with all patience; and in prodigies, and in wonders, and in 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 in what fell ye short of the other churches; except in this, that I was not burdensome to you? Forgive me this fault.
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, 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.
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 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.
And as for me, most gladly will I spend all I have and be utterly spent for your salvation.
16 But perhaps, though I was not burdensome to you, yet, like a cunning man, I filched from you by craftiness!
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 Was it by the hand of some other person whom I sent to you, that I pilfered from you?
Have I gained any selfish advantage over you through any one of the messengers I have sent to you?
18 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?
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 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.
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 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;
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 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.
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.
