2 Corinthians 12

1 Surely it is not beneficial for me to boast, yet I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord.

2 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 out of it I do not know, but God knows—

4 was caught up to Paradise. The things he heard were inexpressible, things that man is not permitted to tell.

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

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

9 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, 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 become a fool in my boasting, 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 a true apostle—signs, wonders, and miracles—were performed among you with great perseverance.

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

14 See, I am ready to come to you a third time, and I will not be a burden to you, 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 And for the sake of your souls, I will most gladly spend my money and myself, even if the more I love you, the less you love me.

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

17 Did I exploit you by anyone I sent you?

18 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 Do you still think that we are 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 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 quarrels, jealousies, rage, rivalry, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder.

21 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.

1 ¶ It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.

3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)

4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

5 Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.

6 For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but [now] I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me [to be], or [that] he heareth of me.

7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

9 And he said unto me, ‹My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.› Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

11 ¶ I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing.

12 Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.

13 For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches, except [it be] that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong.

14 Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

15 And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.

16 But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile.

17 Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you?

18 I desired Titus, and with [him] I sent a brother. Did Titus make a gain of you? walked we not in the same spirit? [walked we] not in the same steps?

19 Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ: but [we do] all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying.

20 For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and [that] I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest [there be] debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:

21 [And] lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and [that] I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.

1 For boasting is of no profit unto me: but I will come unto the visions and revelations of the LORD.

2 I know a man in Christ fourteen years ago (if he was in the body, I know it not; or if he was out of the body, I know it not: God knoweth it), who was raptured unto the third heaven.

3 And I know the same man (whether he hath been in the body, or out of the body, I know not; God knoweth).

4 He was raptured into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which no man can utter.

5 Of this will I glory: but of myself will I not glory, except in my infirmities.

6 And if I would boast, I would not therefore do foolishly; for I would speak the truth. But I abstain from this, lest any man esteem me above that which he seeth in me, or heareth of me,

7 And lest I should overtake the high revelation, there is given me a stake in the flesh, even the angel of Satan to smite me with fists, lest I should overtake.

8 For which I cried thrice unto the LORD, that he would depart from me;

9 And he said unto me, Be thou content with my grace: for my power is mighty in the weak. Therefore I will boast most gladly of my weakness, that the power of Christ may dwell with me].

10 Therefore I am of good courage in infirmities, in difficulties, in distresses, in persecutions, in anxieties for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong.

11 I became a fool for boasting; ye made me so. For I ought to be praised of you, seeing I am nothing less than the high apostles; though I am nothing.

12 For the signs of an apostle were done among you with all patience; with signs, and with wonders, and with deeds.

13 What is this wherein ye are inferior to the rest of the churches, that I myself have not afflicted you? Forgive me this sin.

14 Behold, I am ready to come unto you the third time, and will not afflict you: for I seek not yours, but you. For children shall not lay up treasures for their parents, but parents for their children.

15 But I will almost gladly expound and be set forth for your souls; though I love you almost very much, yet am loved little.

16 But let it be, that I have not afflicted you; but because I have been deceitful, I have taken you by guile.

17 And have I taken advantage of any of them whom I have sent unto you?

18 I exhorted Titus, and sent a brother with him. Did Titus also take advantage of you? Have we not walked in one spirit? Have we not walked in the same footsteps?

19 But think ye that we answer for ourselves? We speak in Christ before God: but all this, my beloved, is for your correction.

20 For I fear, when I come, that I shall not find you as I will, neither shall ye find me as ye will: lest there be strife, and envying, and wrath, and strife, and talking after one another, and blowing out of your ears, and uproar;

21 Lest I come again, and humble myself before you, my God, and be grieved for many that sinned before, and repented not of the uncleanness, and fornication, and whoredoms, which they committed.