2 Corinthians 12

1 I must boast! It is unprofitable; but I will pass to visions and revelations given by the Lord.

I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to gain, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord.

2 I know a man in union with Christ, who, fourteen years ago — whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows — was caught up (this man of whom I am speaking) to the third Heaven.

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.

3 And I know that this man — whether in the body or separated from the body I do not know; God knows —

And I know that this man—whether in the body or out of it I do not know, but God knows—

4 Was caught up into Paradise, and heard unspeakable things of which no human being may tell.

was caught up to Paradise. The things he heard were too sacred for words, things that man is not permitted to tell.

5 About such a man I will boast, but about myself I will not boast except as regards my weaknesses.

I will boast about such a man, but I will not boast about myself, except in my weaknesses.

6 Yet if I choose to boast, I shall not be a fool; for I shall be speaking no more than the truth. But I refrain, lest any one should credit me with more than he can see in me or hear from me, and because of the marvellous character of the revelations.

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,

7 It was for this reason, and to prevent my thinking too highly of myself, that a thorn was sent to pierce my flesh — an instrument of Satan to discipline me — so that I should not think too highly of myself.

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.

8 About this I three times entreated the Lord, praying that it might leave me.

Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.

9 But his reply has been — ‘My help is enough for you; for my strength attains its perfection in the midst of weakness.’ Most gladly, then, will I boast all the more of my weaknesses, so that the strength of the Christ may overshadow me.

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.

10 That is why I delight in weakness, ill-treatment, hardship, persecution, and difficulties, when borne for Christ. For, when I am weak, then it is that I am strong!

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.

11 I have been “playing the fool!” It is you who drove me to it. For it is you who ought to have been commending me! Although I am nobody, in no respect did I prove inferior to the most eminent Apostles.

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.

12 The marks of the true Apostle were exhibited among you in constant endurance, as well as by signs, by marvels, and by miracles.

The true marks of an apostle—signs, wonders, and miracles—were performed among you with great perseverance.

13 In what respect, I ask, were you treated worse than the other Churches, unless it was that, for my part, I refused to become a burden to you? Forgive me the wrong I thus did you!

In what way were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!

14 Remember, this is the third time that I have made every preparation to come to see you, and I shall refuse to be a burden to you; I want, not your money, but you. It is not the duty of children to put by for their parents, but of parents to put by for their children.

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.

15 For my part, I will most gladly spend, and be spent, for your welfare. Can it be that the more intensely I love you the less I am to be loved?

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?

16 You will admit that I was not a burden to you but you say that I was “crafty” and caught you “by a trick”!

Be that as it may, I was not a burden to you; but crafty as I am, I caught you by trickery.

17 Do you assert that I took advantage of you through any of those whom I have sent to you?

Did I exploit you by anyone I sent you?

18 I urged Titus to go, and I sent our Brother with him. Did Titus take any advantage of you? Did not we live in the same Spirit, and tread in the same footsteps?

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?

19 Have you all this time been fancying that it is to you that we are making our defence? No, it is in the sight of God, and in union with Christ, that we are speaking. And all this, dear friends, is to build up your characters;

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.

20 for I am afraid that perhaps, when I come, I may find that you are not what I want you to be, and, on the other hand, that you may find that I am what you do not want me to be. I am afraid that I may find quarrelling, jealousy, ill-feeling, rivalry, slandering, back-biting, self-assertion, and disorder.

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.

21 I am afraid lest, on my next visit, my God may humble me in regard to you, and that I may have to mourn over many who have long been sinning, and have not repented of the impurity, immorality, and sensuality, in which they have indulged.

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.