2 Corinthians 12
1 [It seems that] I must go on boasting [about myself]. Although [I do] not [think that my telling you about] this will help [you to accept me as Christ’s representative to you], I [will say this anyway]. I will tell you about visions that the Lord [gave a certain man] and about things that he [supernaturally] revealed [to that man. I will tell you this because some of the people among you boast that it was in visions that they received the things that they teach].
Ik moet roemen, ofschoon het niet betamelijk is. Doch ik zal komen tot visioenen en openbaringen des Heeren.
2 The man that I will tell you about is one [who believes] in Christ. Fourteen years ago he was taken {[Christ] took him} up into the third heaven, [the highest heaven, the place where God is]. I do not know whether he went there [in his physical body] or whether he was outside of his body [at that time and only his spirit went]. Only God really knows.
Ik ken een mensch in Christus die veertien jaar geleden is opgenomen geweest tot in den derden hemel (hetzij in het lichaam, ik weet het niet; hetzij buiten het lichaam, ik weet het niet; God weet het);
3 But he was [suddenly] taken {[Christ suddenly] took him} up to [a place called] Paradise, [that wonderful place where God lives. I repeat that] I do not know whether his body [went there] or only his spirit. Only God knows [that. While he was there, God] told him some things that he does not allow [human beings] to tell [others about].
Ik ken dan zulk een mensch (hetzij in het lichaam of zonder het lichaam, ik weet het niet; God weet het);
dat hij is opgenomen tot het paradijs en gehoord heeft onuitgesproken dingen, die geen mensch uitspreken mag.
5 I will proudly talk about that man. However, I will not be boasting [as] I say that I [am the one who saw and heard those wonderful things]. I will talk only about the things that [cause others to think of] me as a weak [human being like everyone else].
Op zoodanige zal ik roemen, doch op mij zelven zal ik niet roemen, tenzij in mijn zwakheden.
6 But even if I should choose to boast [to you about such wonderful things that happened to me], I would not be [speaking like] a fool, because I would be telling you the truth. But I will not [talk proudly about such things], because I do not want any of you to think highly of me [because of the things that have happened to me]. Instead, [I want you to decide what kind of person I am by the way you see] me [acting] and by what you hear me teach.
Want als ik zou willen roemen, dan zou ik daarom geen dwaas zijn, want ik zou waarheid spreken. Doch ik laat daarvan af, opdat niemand van mij zou denken boven hetgeen hij van mij ziet of uit mij hoort.
7 In order that I might not become proud because of those many wonderful things [that Christ] revealed to me, [God permitted] Satan to send a messenger [to humble me] (OR, to [make me sick]). [What that messenger did to me was painful, like] [MET] a thorn pricking my body.
En opdat ik niet hoovaardig zou worden op de uitnemendheid der openbaringen, is mij gegeven een doorn in het vleesch, een satansengel, om mij te geeselen, opdat ik niet hoovaardig zou worden.
8 Three times I prayed to the Lord about it, begging him to take this away from me.
Hierover nu heb ik driemaal den Heere aangeroepen, opdat die van mij wijken zou,
9 But he said to me, “[No, I will not take this away from you. Instead], I will kindly help you, and that will be all that you need, because it is [when you are] weak that I [can] best [work] powerfully [to help you].” So, because of [what the Lord said to me], I will very gladly boast about [the things that make] me [seem] weak, so that [people may realize] that it is Christ who gives me power [to serve him].
en Hij heeft tot mij gezegd: mijn genade zij u genoegzaam, want mijn kracht wordt in zwakheid volkomen.
10 For that reason, [whenever I am] weak, or [when people] insult me, [or when I have to endure] hardships, or [when I am persecuted] {[people] cause me to suffer}, or [when I am in situations that] distress me, I am content because [I am serving] Christ. [I can say that] because at any time when I myself am weak, that is the [very] time when [Christ] powerfully [helps me].
Daarom heb ik vermaak in zwakheden, in smadingen, in moeilijkheden, in vervolgingen en benauwdheden, voor Christus; want als ik zwak ben, dan ben ik machtig.
11 It has been foolish for me [to talk about myself like this], but it is you who forced me to do it. Truly [if the Lord would not help me], I would be worthless, [as my opponents say that I am]. But none of the men whom you [wrongfully think] [IRO] are great apostles are greater in any way than I am. So it would have been right/proper for you to say good things about me.
Ik ben dwaas geworden. Gij hebt mij genoodzaakt, want ik behoorde door u aangeprezen te worden. In niets toch ben ik minder geweest dan die uitstekende apostelen, al ben ik ook niets.
12 [You should have done that, because] when I was with you [I] repeatedly did the things that showed you that [I am truly] an apostle, such as performing many [DOU] miracles.
Want de kenmerken van een apostel zijn onder u gewrocht in alle volharding, door teekenen en wonderen en krachten.
13 And I have [certainly treated] you as well as [I treated] the other congregations [that I helped to start. Or do you think that] by not asking you [to pay me for my work], I was not treating you as well as I treated the other congregations? (It is foolish for you to [think that] [IRO] [it] was wrong for me not [to ask for pay from you for my work, and therefore I should ask] you to forgive me for that!/Do you [think that it] was wrong for me not [to ask for pay from you for my work, and therefore I should ask] you to forgive me for that?) [RHQ]
Want wat is er waarin gij minder geweest zijt dan de andere gemeenten, dan alleen daarin dat ik zelf u niet tot bezwaar ben geweest? Vergeeft mij dit ongelijk!
14 Now listen to me! It is time for me to come to you for a third [visit. When I come], I [still] will not insist that you [pay me for my work], because I do not want [any of] your [money] [EUP]! What I want is for you [MTY] [to love and appreciate me]. It is not [normally the duty of] children to save [money to provide for the needs of] their parents. Instead, it [is the duty of] parents to [provide] for their children [MET]. In the same way, [it is not your duty to provide for me. Instead, it is my duty to provide spiritual help for you because you are my spiritual children].
Ziet, dit is nu de derde keer dat ik gereed ben om tot u te komen en ik zal u niet tot bezwaar zijn. Want ik zoek niet het uwe, maar u. Want niet de kinderen moeten schatten verzamelen voor de ouders, doch de ouders voor de kinderen.
15 So, for my part, [as a good parent would do], I will be very happy to use everything that I have, and do everything that I possibly can, [in order to help you]. And because I love you very much, (I will be very disappointed if [you] do not love me a little bit, too./will [you] not love me a little bit, too?) [RHQ]
En ik zal zeer gaarne de kosten doen en voor uw zielen ten koste gegeven worden. Of zal ik, u overvloedig beminnende, te minder bemind worden?
16 [You all] know that I did not depend on you [to provide for my needs]. However, [there are some who accuse me, saying that] [IRO] I was very clever and got money from you by tricking you.
Doch het zij zoo; ik heb u niet bezwaard. Maar slim zijnde, heb ik u door list gevangen.
17 But did I ever do that? No! I never [RHQ] asked any of the men whom I sent to you [to get money] from you [and bring it to me]
Heb ik misschien door iemand van degenen die ik tot u gezonden heb u iets afgeperst?
18 Titus went [and visited you because] I urged him to do so. I also sent the other believer, [whom you know], to go with Titus. [You know that] Titus did not [RHQ] trick [you in order to get money from you. And you certainly know that] he and I have always [RHQ] acted in exactly the same [honest] way [towards you].
Ik heb Titus aangezocht en met hem den broeder gezonden. Titus heeft u toch niet afgeperst? Hebben wij niet in een zelfden geest gewandeld? Niet in dezelfde voetstappen?
19 While [you have been reading this letter, if] you have been thinking that I have [just] been [saying these things to] defend myself [against those who accuse me, you are wrong]. I have been saying [these things honestly, knowing] that God is listening [to me. I also speak as one who has a close relationship] with Christ. Everything that I do and [everything that I say is] to [help you] whom I love (to grow [spiritually/] to become [spiritually] mature).
Sedert langen tijd denkt gij dat wij ons zelven bij u verdedigen. Voor Gods aangezicht in Christus spreken wij. En dit alles, beminden, voor uw opbouwing!
20 [I have written this way to you] because I worry that when I come [to visit you], I will see that [some of] you are [not conducting your lives the way] that I want you [to]. If that is so, [when I get there] you will see that I will have [to act] in a [very severe way toward you, and I am sure] that you do not want that. Specifically, I am afraid that [some of you] may be quarreling, or that you are being jealous [of each other], or that you quickly get very angry [with them], or that you are acting selfishly, or that [some of] you are saying bad things about others, or that you are (spreading false rumors/saying false things) about each other, or that you are acting proudly, or that you are [doing things] in a disorderly manner.
Want ik vrees dat, als ik kom, ik u niet zóó zal vinden als ik begeer, en dat ik door u zóó zal gevonden worden als gij niet begeert; dat er misschien twist, jaloezie, gramschap, gekijf, achterklappingen, oorblazingen, verwaandheden, beroerten zijn.
21 [I] ([feel anxious/am concerned]) [about you. I worry that] when I visit you again, God, the one whom I [serve], will make me feel ashamed of you [when I see that] you [still are not conducting your lives as believers should]. Then I will feel very sad about [some of] you who were sinning previously and have not stopped your sinful behavior. [Some of you] may still have impure [thoughts. Some of you] may be having sexual intercourse with those to whom you are not married. [And some of you] may be doing other shameful things.
Ik vrees dat, als ik wederom kom, mijn God mij bij u zal vernederen en dat ik zal treuren over velen die te voren gezondigd hebben en geen berouw gehad hebben over de onreinheid en hoererij en ontucht die zij bedreven hebben.
