Προς Κορινθιους Β΄ 12
1 Καυχᾶσθαι δεῖ, οὐ συμφέρον μέν, ἐλεύσομαι δὲ εἰς ὀπτασίας καὶ ἀποκαλύψεις ˚Κυρίου.
(Really, to me boasting is not helpful.) For I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.
2 Οἶδα ἄνθρωπον ἐν ˚Χριστῷ πρὸ ἐτῶν δεκατεσσάρων (εἴτε ἐν σώματι οὐκ οἶδα, εἴτε ἐκτὸς τοῦ σώματος οὐκ οἶδα, ὁ ˚Θεὸς οἶδεν), ἁρπαγέντα τὸν τοιοῦτον ἕως τρίτου οὐρανοῦ.
I know a man in Christ, fourteen years ago (whether in body, I know not, or whether outside the body, I know not, God knows) such a man was caught up as far as the third heaven.
3 Καὶ οἶδα τὸν τοιοῦτον ἄνθρωπον (εἴτε ἐν σώματι εἴτε χωρὶς τοῦ σώματος οὐκ οἶδα, ὁ ˚Θεὸς οἶδεν),
And I know such a man (whether in body, or whether outside the body, I know not, God knows)
4 ὅτι ἡρπάγη εἰς τὸν Παράδεισον, καὶ ἤκουσεν ἄρρητα ῥήματα, ἃ οὐκ ἐξὸν ἀνθρώπῳ λαλῆσαι.
that he was caught up into the paradise, and heard inexpressible sayings that are not permitted for a man to utter.
5 Ὑπὲρ τοῦ τοιούτου, καυχήσομαι, ὑπὲρ δὲ ἐμαυτοῦ, οὐ καυχήσομαι, εἰ μὴ ἐν ταῖς ἀσθενείαις.
For such a man I will boast, but for myself I will not boast, except in my weaknesses.
6 Ἐὰν γὰρ θελήσω καυχήσασθαι, οὐκ ἔσομαι ἄφρων, ἀλήθειαν γὰρ ἐρῶ· φείδομαι δέ, μή τις εἰς ἐμὲ λογίσηται ὑπὲρ ὃ βλέπει με, ἢ ἀκούει ἐξ ἐμοῦ.
For if I should want to boast, I will not be foolish, for I will speak the truth. But I refrain lest any man should reckon to me above what he sees of me or hears anything from me.
7 Καὶ τῇ ὑπερβολῇ τῶν ἀποκαλύψεων, διὸ ἵνα μὴ ὑπεραίρωμαι, ἐδόθη μοι σκόλοψ τῇ σαρκί, ἄγγελος Σατανᾶ, ἵνα με κολαφίζῃ, ἵνα μὴ ὑπεραίρωμαι.
And so that I might not be over exalted by the extraordinariness of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, an agent of Satan so that he would buffet me, so that I would not be over exalted.
8 Ὑπὲρ τούτου τρὶς τὸν ˚Κύριον παρεκάλεσα ἵνα ἀποστῇ ἀπʼ ἐμοῦ.
I besought the Lord thrice about this, that it might depart from me.
9 Καὶ εἴρηκέν μοι, “Ἀρκεῖ σοι ἡ χάρις μου, ἡ γὰρ δύναμις ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ τελεῖται.” Ἥδιστα οὖν μᾶλλον καυχήσομαι ἐν ταῖς ἀσθενείαις μου, ἵνα ἐπισκηνώσῃ ἐπʼ ἐμὲ ἡ δύναμις τοῦ ˚Χριστοῦ.
And he said to me, My grace is sufficient for thee, for my power is made fully perfect in weakness. More gladly therefore I will boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of the Christ may reside in me.
10 Διὸ εὐδοκῶ ἐν ἀσθενείαις, ἐν ὕβρεσιν, ἐν ἀνάγκαις, ἐν διωγμοῖς, καὶ στενοχωρίαις, ὑπὲρ ˚Χριστοῦ· ὅταν γὰρ ἀσθενῶ, τότε δυνατός εἰμι.
Therefore I am pleased in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, in restrictions, for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
11 Γέγονα ἄφρων· ὑμεῖς με ἠναγκάσατε. Ἐγὼ γὰρ ὤφειλον ὑφʼ ὑμῶν συνίστασθαι. Οὐδὲν γὰρ ὑστέρησα τῶν ὑπερλίαν ἀποστόλων, εἰ καὶ οὐδέν εἰμι.
I have become foolish, boasting. Ye compelled me, for I ought to have been commended by you. For I came short in nothing of those, superlative apostles, even though I am nothing.
12 Τὰ μὲν σημεῖα τοῦ ἀποστόλου κατειργάσθη ἐν ὑμῖν ἐν πάσῃ ὑπομονῇ– σημείοις τε, καὶ τέρασιν, καὶ δυνάμεσιν.
Indeed the signs of the apostle were performed among you in all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty works.
13 Τί γάρ ἐστιν ὃ ἡσσώθητε ὑπὲρ τὰς λοιπὰς ἐκκλησίας, εἰ μὴ ὅτι αὐτὸς ἐγὼ οὐ κατενάρκησα ὑμῶν; Χαρίσασθέ μοι τὴν ἀδικίαν ταύτην!
For what is there which ye were inferior to the other congregations? Except that I myself was not burdensome to you? Forgive me this wrong.
14 Ἰδοὺ, τρίτον τοῦτο ἑτοίμως ἔχω ἐλθεῖν πρὸς ὑμᾶς, καὶ οὐ καταναρκήσω· οὐ γὰρ ζητῶ τὰ ὑμῶν, ἀλλὰ ὑμᾶς, οὐ γὰρ ὀφείλει τὰ τέκνα τοῖς γονεῦσιν θησαυρίζειν, ἀλλὰ οἱ γονεῖς τοῖς τέκνοις.
Behold, a third time I fare readily to come to you, and I will not be burdensome to you, for I seek not the things of you, but you. For the children ought not lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.
15 Ἐγὼ δὲ ἥδιστα δαπανήσω καὶ ἐκδαπανηθήσομαι ὑπὲρ τῶν ψυχῶν ὑμῶν. Εἰ περισσοτέρως ὑμᾶς ἀγαπῶν, ἧσσον ἀγαπῶμαι;
And I most gladly will spend, and will be spent for your souls. Even though more earnestly loving you, the worse I am loved.
16 Ἔστω δέ, ἐγὼ οὐ κατεβάρησα ὑμᾶς· ἀλλὰ ὑπάρχων πανοῦργος δόλῳ, ὑμᾶς ἔλαβον.
But let it be. I did not burden you. Nevertheless, being clever, I caught you with bait.
17 Μή τινα ὧν ἀπέσταλκα πρὸς ὑμᾶς, διʼ αὐτοῦ ἐπλεονέκτησα ὑμᾶς;
Any man of whom I have sent to you, did I exploit you through him?
18 Παρεκάλεσα Τίτον καὶ συναπέστειλα τὸν ἀδελφόν. Μήτι ἐπλεονέκτησεν ὑμᾶς Τίτος; Οὐ τῷ αὐτῷ πνεύματι περιεπατήσαμεν οὐ τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἴχνεσιν;
I encouraged Titus, and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus exploit you in anything? Did we not walk in the same spirit, not in the same steps?
19 Πάλαι δοκεῖτε ὅτι ὑμῖν ἀπολογούμεθα; Κατέναντι ˚Θεοῦ ἐν ˚Χριστῷ λαλοῦμεν. Τὰ δὲ πάντα, ἀγαπητοί, ὑπὲρ τῆς ὑμῶν οἰκοδομῆς.
Again, do ye think that we are making defense to you? In the sight of God we speak in Christ. But all things, beloved, are for your edification.
20 Φοβοῦμαι γὰρ, μή πως ἐλθὼν οὐχ οἵους θέλω, εὕρω ὑμᾶς, κἀγὼ εὑρεθῶ ὑμῖν οἷον οὐ θέλετε, μή πως ἔρις, ζῆλος, θυμοί, ἐριθεῖαι, καταλαλιαί, ψιθυρισμοί, φυσιώσεις, ἀκαταστασίαι·
For I fear lest somehow, having come, I may find you not such as I want, and I may be found by you such as ye do not want, lest somehow there be strifes, envyings, wraths, selfish ambitions, slanderings, whisperings, puffings up, turmoils,
21 μὴ πάλιν ἐλθόντος μου, ταπεινώσει με ὁ ˚Θεός μου πρὸς ὑμᾶς, καὶ πενθήσω πολλοὺς τῶν προημαρτηκότων, καὶ μὴ μετανοησάντων ἐπὶ τῇ ἀκαθαρσίᾳ, καὶ πορνείᾳ, καὶ ἀσελγείᾳ, ᾗ ἔπραξαν.
lest having come again my God will make me low toward you, and I will bewail many of those who have sinned previously, and who did not repent from the trash and fornication and licentiousness that they committed.
