2 karinthinaH 12

1 AtmazlAghA mamAnupayuktA kintvahaM prabhO rdarzanAdEzAnAm AkhyAnaM kathayituM pravarttE|

It is necessary to boast, though it is not profitable. But I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

2 itazcaturdazavatsarEbhyaH pUrvvaM mayA paricita EkO janastRtIyaM svargamanIyata, sa sazarIrENa niHzarIrENa vA tat sthAnamanIyata tadahaM na jAnAmi kintvIzvarO jAnAti|

I know a man in Meshikha, fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I do not know, or whether out of the body, I do not know; God knows), such a one was caught up into the third heaven.

3 sa mAnavaH svargaM nItaH san akathyAni marttyavAgatItAni ca vAkyAni zrutavAn|

I know such a man (whether in the body, or apart from the body, I do not know; God knows),

4 kintu tadAnIM sa sazarIrO niHzarIrO vAsIt tanmayA na jnjAyatE tad IzvarENaiva jnjAyatE|

how he was caught up into Paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a human to utter.

5 tamadhyahaM zlAghiSyE mAmadhi nAnyEna kEnacid viSayENa zlAghiSyE kEvalaM svadaurbbalyEna zlAghiSyE|

On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in my weaknesses.

6 yadyaham AtmazlAghAM karttum icchEyaM tathApi nirbbOdha iva na bhaviSyAmi yataH satyamEva kathayiSyAmi, kintu lOkA mAM yAdRzaM pazyanti mama vAkyaM zrutvA vA yAdRzaM mAM manyatE tasmAt zrESThaM mAM yanna gaNayanti tadarthamahaM tatO viraMsyAmi|

For if I would desire to boast, I will not be foolish; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, so that no one may think more of me than that which he sees in me, or hears from me.

7 aparam utkRSTadarzanaprAptitO yadaham AtmAbhimAnI na bhavAmi tadarthaM zarIravEdhakam EkaM zUlaM mahyam adAyi tat madIyAtmAbhimAnanivAraNArthaM mama tAPayitA zayatAnO dUtaH|

And because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, therefore, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satana to pound away at me, to keep me from exalting myself.

8 mattastasya prasthAnaM yAcitumahaM tristamadhi prabhumuddizya prArthanAM kRtavAn|

Concerning this thing, I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.

9 tataH sa mAmuktavAn mamAnugrahastava sarvvasAdhakaH, yatO daurbbalyAt mama zaktiH pUrNatAM gacchatIti| ataH khrISTasya zakti ryanmAm Azrayati tadarthaM svadaurbbalyEna mama zlAghanaM sukhadaM|

He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Meshikha may rest on me.

10 tasmAt khrISTahEtO rdaurbbalyanindAdaridratAvipakSatAkaSTAdiSu santuSyAmyahaM| yadAhaM durbbalO'smi tadaiva sabalO bhavAmi|

Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Meshikha's sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong.

11 EtEnAtmazlAghanEnAhaM nirbbOdha ivAbhavaM kintu yUyaM tasya kAraNaM yatO mama prazaMsA yuSmAbhirEva karttavyAsIt| yadyapyam agaNyO bhavEyaM tathApi mukhyatamEbhyaH prEritEbhyaH kEnApi prakArENa nAhaM nyUnO'smi|

I have become foolish. You compelled me, for I ought to have been commended by you, for in nothing was I inferior to the very best apostles, though I am nothing.

12 sarvvathAdbhutakriyAzaktilakSaNaiH prEritasya cihnAni yuSmAkaM madhyE sadhairyyaM mayA prakAzitAni|

Truly the signs of an apostle were worked among you in all patience, in signs and wonders and mighty works.

13 mama pAlanArthaM yUyaM mayA bhArAkrAntA nAbhavataitad EkaM nyUnatvaM vinAparAbhyaH samitibhyO yuSmAkaM kiM nyUnatvaM jAtaM? anEna mama dOSaM kSamadhvaM|

For what is there in which you were made inferior to the rest of the congregations, unless it is that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong.

14 pazyata tRtIyavAraM yuSmatsamIpaM gantumudyatO'smi tatrApyahaM yuSmAn bhArAkrAntAn na kariSyAmi| yuSmAkaM sampattimahaM na mRgayE kintu yuSmAnEva, yataH pitrOH kRtE santAnAnAM dhanasanjcayO'nupayuktaH kintu santAnAnAM kRtE pitrO rdhanasanjcaya upayuktaH|

Look, for the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you; for I seek not what is yours, but you. For the children ought not to save up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

15 aparanjca yuSmAsu bahu prIyamANO'pyahaM yadi yuSmattO'lpaM prama labhE tathApi yuSmAkaM prANarakSArthaM sAnandaM bahu vyayaM sarvvavyayanjca kariSyAmi|

I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more abundantly, am I loved the less?

16 yUyaM mayA kinjcidapi na bhArAkrAntA iti satyaM, kintvahaM dhUrttaH san chalEna yuSmAn vanjcitavAn Etat kiM kEnacid vaktavyaM?

But be it so, I did not myself burden you. But, being crafty, I caught you with deception.

17 yuSmatsamIpaM mayA yE lOkAH prahitAstESAmEkEna kiM mama kO'pyarthalAbhO jAtaH?

Did I take advantage of you by anyone of them whom I have sent to you?

18 ahaM tItaM vinIya tEna sArddhaM bhrAtaramEkaM prESitavAn yuSmattastItEna kim arthO labdhaH? Ekasmin bhAva Ekasya padacihnESu cAvAM kiM na caritavantau?

I exhorted Titus, and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus take any advantage of you? Did not we walk in the same spirit? Did not we walk in the same steps?

19 yuSmAkaM samIpE vayaM puna rdOSakSAlanakathAM kathayAma iti kiM budhyadhvE? hE priyatamAH, yuSmAkaM niSThArthaM vayamIzvarasya samakSaM khrISTEna sarvvANyEtAni kathayAmaH|

Have you been thinking all this time that we have been defending ourselves before you? In the sight of God we speak in Meshikha; and all things, beloved, are for your edifying.

20 ahaM yadAgamiSyAmi, tadA yuSmAn yAdRzAn draSTuM nEcchAmi tAdRzAn drakSyAmi, yUyamapi mAM yAdRzaM draSTuM nEcchatha tAdRzaM drakSyatha, yuSmanmadhyE vivAda IrSyA krOdhO vipakSatA parApavAdaH karNEjapanaM darpaH kalahazcaitE bhaviSyanti;

For I am afraid that by any means, when I come, I might find you not the way I want to, and that I might be found by you as you do not desire; that by any means there would be strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, whisperings, proud thoughts, riots;

21 tEnAhaM yuSmatsamIpaM punarAgatya madIyEzvarENa namayiSyE, pUrvvaM kRtapApAn lOkAn svIyAzucitAvEzyAgamanalampaTatAcaraNAd anutApam akRtavantO dRSTvA ca tAnadhi mama zOkO janiSyata iti bibhEmi|

that again when I come my God would humble me before you, and I would mourn for many of those who have sinned before now, and not repented of the uncleanness and sexual immorality and lustfulness which they committed.