2 Corinthians 12

1 To be boasting, is needful, —it is not, indeed, profitable, yet will I come to visions and revelations of [the] Lord: —

Glorying must be, but it is not profitable: so I proceed to visions and revelations of our Lord.

2 I know a man in Christ, who, fourteen years ago, whether in the body, I know not, or out of the body, I know not, God, knoweth, such a one as this, caught away, as far as the third heaven;

I knew a man in the Messiah fourteen years ago, (but whether in a body, or whether out of a body, I know not; God knoweth: ) who was caught up to the third region of heaven.

3 And I know such a man as this, whether in the body or apart from the body, [I know not], —God, knoweth,

And I knew this same man; (but whether in a body, or out of a body, I know not; God knoweth; )

4 How that he was caught away into paradise, and heard unspeakable things, which it is not allowable for a man to utter:

and he was caught up to Paradise, and heard ineffable words, which it is not permitted a man to utter.

5 On behalf of such a one as this, will I boast, but, on behalf of myself, will I not boast, save in my weaknesses; —

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

6 Although in fact, if I should wish to boast, I shall not be foolish, for, the truth, would I speak; but I forbear, lest anyone, unto me, should reckon above what he beholdeth me [to be], or heareth from me, —even by the exceeding greatness of the revelations.

Yet if I were disposed to glory, I should not be without reason; for I declare the truth. But I refrain, lest any one should think of me, beyond what he seeth in me and heareth from me.

7 Wherefore, lest I should be unduly lifted up, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, that he might buffet me, —lest I should be unduly lifted up.

And, that I might not be uplifted by the excellency of the revelations, there was imparted to me a thorn in my flesh, the angel of Satan, to buffet me, that I might not be uplifted.

8 In this behalf, thrice, besought I, the Lord, that it might depart from me;

Respecting this, I thrice besought my Lord, that it might depart from me.

9 And at once he said unto me—Sufficient for thee, is my favour, for, my power, in weakness, is made complete. Most gladly, therefore, will I rather boast in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may spread a tent over me.

And he said to me, My grace is sufficient for thee; for my power is perfected in weakness. Gladly, therefore, will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of the Messiah may rest upon me.

10 Wherefore, I take pleasure in weaknesses, in insults, in necessities, in persecutions, and straits, in behalf of Christ; for, as soon as I am weak, then, am powerful.

Therefore I have pleasure in infirmities, in reproach, in afflictions, in persecutions, in distresses, which are for the Messiah's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

11 I have become foolish, —ye, compelled me: —I, in fact, ought, by you, to have been commended; for, not a whit, have I come behind the exceeding overmuch apostles, —even if I am nothing:

Behold, I have become foolish in my glorying, for ye compelled me. For ye ought to bear witness for me; because I was inferior in nothing to those legates who most excel, although I was nothing.

12 The signs, indeed, of an apostle, were wrought out among you, in all endurance, —[both] in signs, and wonders, and mighty works:

I wrought among you the signs of the legates, with all patience; and in prodigies, and in wonders, and in mighty deeds.

13 For what is there wherein ye were made inferior to the rest of the assemblies, —save that, I myself, would not allow myself to be a burden unto you? Forgive me this wrong!

For in what fell ye short of the other churches; except in this, that I was not burdensome to you? Forgive me this fault.

14 Lo! this third time, I am holding myself, in readiness, to come unto you, and I will not allow myself to be a burden; for I seek not yours, but you; —for, the children, ought not to lay up, for the parents, but the parents for the children; —

Behold, this third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not burden you; for I seek not yours, but you: for children ought not to lay up treasures for the parents, but the parents for their children.

15 And, I, most gladly, will spend, and be fully spent, for your souls: —If I, exceedingly, love you, am I, the less, loved?

And cheerfully will I both pay my expenses, and also give myself for your souls; although the more I love you, the less ye love me.

16 But let it be!—I, myself, did not burden you, —Notwithstanding, being crafty, with guile, I caught you?

But perhaps, though I was not burdensome to you, yet, like a cunning man, I filched from you by craftiness!

17 Was there, anyone of those whom I have sent unto you, through whom I have overreached you?

Was it by the hand of some other person whom I sent to you, that I pilfered from you?

18 I exhorted Titus, and sent with him the brother, —Did, Titus, overreach you? Was it not, in the same spirit, we walked? Was it not, in the same steps?

I requested Titus, and with him I sent the brethren: did Titus pilfer any thing from you? Did we not walk in one spirit, and in the same steps?

19 All this time, think ye, that, unto you, we are making a defence? Before God in Christ, we speak; —but all these things, beloved, for your upbuilding.

Do ye again suppose, that we would apologize to you? Before God, in the Messiah we speak: and all these things, my beloved, are for the sake of your edification.

20 For I fear—lest, by any means, when I come, not such as I wish, should I find you, and, I, should be found by you, such as ye do not wish; —lest, by any means, [I should find] strife, jealousy, outbursts of wrath, factions, railings, whisperings, puffed up pretensions, confusions; —

For I fear, lest I should come to you and not find you such as I would wish; and lest I also should be found by you, such as ye would not wish; lest there should be contention, and envying, and anger, and obstinacy, and slandering, and murmuring, and insolence, and commotion;

21 Lest, when I again come, my God should humble me in regard to you, —and I should grieve over many who had before sinned, and not repented of the impurity, and fornication, and wantonness which they had committed.

lest, when I come to you, my God should humble me; and I should mourn over many, who have sinned, and have not repented of the impurity, the whoredom, and the lasciviousness, which they have committed.