12:1 Boasting is necessary, though it is not beneficial; but I will go on to visions and revelations ①of the Lord.
▷ ①Or from
12:2 I know a man in Christ, who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a man was caught up to the third heaven.
12:3 And I know how such a man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows—
12:4 was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak.
12:5 In behalf of such a man I will boast; but in my own behalf I will not boast, except regarding my weaknesses.
12:6 For if I do wish to boast I will not be foolish, for I will be speaking the truth; but I refrain from this, so that no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me.
12:7 Because of the extraordinary greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to ①torment me—to keep me from exalting myself!
▷ ①Lit beat
12:8 Concerning this I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might leave me.
12:9 And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast ①about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
▷ ①Lit in
12:10 Therefore I delight in weaknesses, in ①insults, in distresses, in persecutions, in difficulties, in behalf of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
▷ ①Or mistreatment
12:11 I have become foolish; you yourselves compelled me. Actually I should have been commended by you, since I was in no respect inferior to the ①most eminent apostles, even though I am a nobody.
▷ ①Or super-apostles
12:12 The distinguishing marks ①of a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance, by ②signs, wonders, and ③miracles.
▷ ①Lit of the apostle ②Or confirming miracles ③Or works of power
12:13 For in what respect were you treated as inferior to the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not become a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!
12:14 Here for this third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you; for I do not seek what is yours, but you; for children are not responsible to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.
12:15 I will most gladly spend and be expended for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less?
12:16 But be that as it may, I did not burden you myself; nevertheless, devious person that I am, I took you in by deceit.
12:17 Certainly I have not taken advantage of you through any of those whom I have sent to you, have I?
12:18 I urged Titus to go, and I sent the brother with him. Titus did not take any advantage of you, did he? Did we not ①conduct ourselves ②in the same spirit and walk in the same steps?
▷ ①Lit walk ②Or by the same Spirit
12:19 All this time ①you have been thinking that we are defending ourselves to you. Actually, it is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ; and all for building you up, beloved.
▷ ①Or have you been thinking...?
12:20 For I am afraid that perhaps when I come I may find you to be not what I wish, and may be found by you to be not what you wish; that perhaps there will be strife, jealousy, angry tempers, selfishness, slanders, gossip, arrogance, disturbances;
12:21 I am afraid that when I come again my God may humiliate me before you, and I may mourn over many of those who have sinned in the past and not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and indecent behavior which they have practiced.