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: —

I am compelled to boast. It is not a profitable employment, but I will proceed to visions and revelations granted me by the 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 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.

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 know that this man-- whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know;

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

God knows--was caught up into Paradise and heard unspeakable things which no human being is permitted to repeat.

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 such a one I will boast; but of myself I will not boast, except in my weaknesses.

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.

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.

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 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.

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

As for this, three times have I besought the Lord to rid me of him;

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.

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.

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.

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.

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:

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.

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

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.

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!

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!

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; —

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.

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 as for me, most gladly will I spend all I have and be utterly spent for your salvation.

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

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!

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

Have I gained any selfish advantage over you through any one of the messengers I have sent to 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 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?

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.

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.

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 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;

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.

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.