2 Corinthians 12
1 I am compelled to boast. It is not a profitable employment, but I will proceed to visions and revelations granted me by the Lord.
I might boast, but it is not expedient; for I come to visions and revelations of the Lord.
2 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.
I knew a man in the Meshiha fourteen years ago, -whether in the body, or out of the body, I know not, Aloha himself knoweth, -who, this one himself, was rapt unto the third of heaven.
3 And I know that this man-- whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know;
And I know this man himself, -but whether in the body, or out of the body, I know not, Aloha himself knoweth,
4 God knows--was caught up into Paradise and heard unspeakable things which no human being is permitted to repeat.
-and he was rapt into paradise, and heard words which are not uttered, those which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
5 Of such a one I will boast; but of myself I will not boast, except in my weaknesses.
Of this I boast; but of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities.
6 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.
Yet if I willed to boast, I should not be a fool, for I say the truth; but I spare, lest any one think of me beyond that which he seeth me (to be), and what he heareth of me.
7 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.
And that I might not be exalted by the abundance of revelations, there was delivered to me a stimulus of my flesh, an angel of Satana to buffet me, that I might not be exalted.
8 As for this, three times have I besought the Lord to rid me of him;
Concerning this three times I entreated of my Lord that it might be removed from me.
9 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.
And he said to me, My grace sufficeth thee; for my power in weakness is perfected. Gladly therefore will I boast in my infirmities, that the power of the Meshiha may overshadow me.
10 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.
For this cause I am willing in infirmities, in reviling, in affliction, in persecutions, in distresses, for the sake of the Meshiha; for when I am weak, then am I strong.
11 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.
Behold, I have been deficient in mind in my boasting, because you have constrained me; for you were debtors to bear witness concerning me; because in nothing am I less than those apostles who are the most eminent, nevertheless I am not any thing.
12 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.
The signs of the apostles I have wrought among you in all patience, and with mighty acts and miracles and with powers.
13 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!
For in what have you been less than the other churches, except in this, that I have not burdened you? Forgive me this offence.
14 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.
Behold, this is three times that I prepare to come to you, and not to burden you; for I seek not yours, but you. For the children ought not to lay up treasures for the parents, but the parents for their children.
15 And as for me, most gladly will I spend all I have and be utterly spent for your salvation.
But I gladly the expenses will spend, and also myself will I give for the sake of your souls: though, while the more I love you, you the less love me.
16 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!
And, perhaps, (though) I did not burden you, yet (it may be said), as a crafty man with deceit I have robbed you.
17 Have I gained any selfish advantage over you through any one of the messengers I have sent to you?
By any other whom I have sent to you have I made prey of you?
18 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?
Of Titos I requested, and sent with him the brethren. In any thing has Titos made prey of you? Have we not walked in one spirit, and in the same steps?
19 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.
DO you again consider that we apologize to you? Before Aloha in the Meshiha do we speak; and all, my beloved, for the sake of your up-building.
20 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;
For I fear lest, when I come to you, I should not find you as I wish, but should find you what you would not wish: lest there be contention and envy, and wrath and angry talk, and accusations and murmurings, and pompousness and agitation:
21 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.
and lest, when I come to you, my God may humiliate me, and I may have to lament over many who have sinned, and have not repented of the uncleanness and of the fornication and of the lasciviousness which they have committed.
