2 Corinthians 12

Modern

Literal

Paul’s Revelation

¹I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to gain, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord.

¹It is necessary to boast; it is not profitable indeed, but I will go to visions and revelations of the Lord.

²I 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.

²I know a man in Christ, 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, having been caught up to the third heaven.

³And I know that this man—whether in the body or out of it I do not know, but God knows—

³And I know such a man—whether in the body or apart from the body, I do not know; God knows—

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

⁴that he was caught up into Paradise, and he heard inexpressible words, not being permitted to man to speak.

Paul’s Thorn and God’s Grace

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

⁵On behalf of such a man I will boast; but on behalf of myself I will not boast, except in the weaknesses.

⁶Even 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,

⁶For if I should want to boast, I will not be a fool, for I will be speaking the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should reckon to me above what he sees in me or anything he hears of me,

⁷or because of these surpassingly great revelations.

So to keep me from becoming conceited,^a I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.

⁷and the surpassingness of the revelations. Therefore, so that I should not be over-exalted, a thorn in my flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan, that he might buffet me, so that I should not be over-exalted.

⁸Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.

⁸Three times I entreated the Lord for this, that it might depart from me.

⁹But 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.

⁹And He has said to me, “My grace suffices for you, for the power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, rather, I will boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

¹⁰That 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.

¹⁰Therefore I am well pleased in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions and difficulties—for Christ; for when I may be weak, then I am powerful.

Paul’s Concern for the Corinthians

¹¹I have become a fool, 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.

¹¹I have become a fool; you compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you. For in nothing was I lacking to the “most eminent apostles,” even if I am nothing.

¹²The marks of a true apostle—signs, wonders, and miracles—were performed among you with great perseverance.

¹²Indeed, the signs of the apostle were performed among you in all perseverance, both in signs and wonders and miracles.

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

¹³For in what is it that you were inferior beyond the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong!

¹⁴See, I am ready to come to you a third time, and I will not be a burden, 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.

¹⁴Behold, this third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden. For I do not seek what is yours, but you. For the children ought not to treasure up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

¹⁵And for the sake of your souls, I will most gladly spend my money and myself. If I love you more, will you love me less?

¹⁵Now I will spend most gladly, and will be utterly spent for your souls. If loving you more abundantly, am I loved less?

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

¹⁶But be it so, I did not burden you; but being crafty, I took you by trickery.

¹⁷Did I exploit you by anyone I sent you?

¹⁷By any of whom I have sent to you, did I take advantage of you by him?

¹⁸I 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?^a

¹⁸I exhorted Titus to go, and I sent with him the brother. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not walk in the same Spirit? Not in the same footsteps?

¹⁹Have you been thinking all along that we were making a defense to you? We speak before God in Christ, and all of this, beloved, is to build you up.

¹⁹Do you think all along that we are making a defense to you? We speak in Christ before God, and all things, beloved, for your edification.

²⁰For 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 quarreling, jealousy, rage, rivalry, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder.

²⁰For I fear lest somehow, having come, I might not find you such as I wish, and I might be found by you such as you do not wish; lest somehow there is strife, jealousy, rage, rivalries, slander, gossip, conceit, disorder;

²¹I 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.

²¹lest on my having come again, my God should humble me as to you, and I should mourn many of those having before sinned and not having repented of the impurity and sexual immorality and sensuality that they have practiced.