2 Corinthians 12
English Standard Version
Paul's Visions and His Thorn
12 I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and (A)revelations of the Lord. 2 I know a man (B)in Christ who fourteen years ago was (C)caught up to (D)the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, (E)God knows. 3 And I know that this man was caught up into (F)paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, (G)God knows— 4 and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. 5 On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, (H)except of my weaknesses— 6 though if I should wish to boast, (I)I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. 7 So (J)to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations,[a] (K)a thorn was given me in the flesh, (L)a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8 (M)Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, (N)“My grace is sufficient for you, for (O)my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that (P)the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 (Q)For the sake of Christ, then, (R)I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For (S)when I am weak, then I am strong.
Concern for the Corinthian Church
11 (T)I have been a fool! You forced me to it, for I ought to have been commended by you. For I was (U)not at all inferior to these super-apostles, (V)even though I am nothing. 12 (W)The signs of a true apostle were performed among you (X)with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works. 13 For in what were you less favored than the rest of the churches, except that (Y)I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong!
14 Here (Z)for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be a burden, for (AA)I seek not what is yours but you. For (AB)children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but (AC)parents for their children. 15 (AD)I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If (AE)I love you more, am I to be loved less? 16 But granting that (AF)I myself did not burden you, I was crafty, you say, and got the better of you by deceit. 17 Did I take advantage of you (AG)through any of those whom I sent to you? 18 (AH)I urged Titus to go, and sent (AI)the brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not act in the same spirit? Did we not take the same steps?
19 Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? It is (AJ)in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ, and (AK)all for your upbuilding, beloved. 20 For I fear that perhaps (AL)when I come I may find you not as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish—that perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder. 21 I fear that when I come again my God may humble me before you, and I may have to mourn over many of those (AM)who sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, (AN)sexual immorality, and sensuality that they have practiced.
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 12:7 Or hears from me, even because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations. So to keep me from becoming conceited
Kehillah in Corinth II 12
Orthodox Jewish Bible
12 It is necessary for me to boast, nothing gained by it, yet I now come to marot (visions) and chazonot (revelations) of Adoneinu.
2 I have da’as of a man in Moshiach arba esreh shanah (fourteen years) before, whether in or out of the basar I do not have da’as, Hashem knows—such a man was snatched up and raptured to the raki’a haShlishi of Shomayim.
3 And I have da’as that such a man, whether in or out of the basar I do not have da’as, Hashem knows,
4 That he was caught away into Gan-Eden and heard inexpressible dvarim which to utter such words Bnei Adam have no heter (permit).
5 On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on behalf of myself I will not boast, except in my weaknesses. [2C 11:30]
6 But if I desire to boast, I will not be a yold (fool) [2C 10:8; 11:16] for I will speak HaEmes; but I spare you, lest anyone gives me credit beyond what he sees in me or hears in me.
7 Therefore, lest I should be too exalted especially by the excess of my chazonot, there was given to me a kotz (thorn, splinter) in my basar, a malach of Hasatan, for the purpose of using his fists on me [IYOV 2:6], lest I should be too exalted. [Num 33:55]
8 I davened shalosh p’amim, calling upon Adoneinu that it might depart from me.
9 And HaAdon said to me, "My Chesed is ad kahn (sufficient for the purpose, enough) for you, for My ko’ach (power) is perfected in weakness." With lev samei’ach therefore will I boast in my weaknesses that the gevurah of Moshiach might be a shelter over me. [1Kgs 19:12]
10 Therefore, I take pleasure in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in tzoros on behalf of Moshiach; for whenever I am weak, then the gibbor (strong man) am I! [Pp 4:11,13]
11 I have been a yold! You forced me. For I ought to be commended by you, for in nothing I was behind the most groise (eminent) Shlichim [2C 11:5], even if I am nothing.
12 Indeed the otot (signs) of the Shliach of Moshiach were brought about among you in all savlanut (patience), both by otot and moftim and gevurot. [Ro 15:19]
13 For in what have you been short-changed compared to the rest of Moshiach’s Kehillot, except that I myself was not a burden on you? [2C 11:9] Do pardon me this slight!
14 Hinei, this is the pa’am shlishit I am ready to come to you [2C 13:1], and I will not be a burden; for I seek not yours but you, for yeladim ought not to lay up for their horim (parents), but horim for their yeladim. [MISHLE 19:14]
15 But with simcha I will expend and be utterly expended for the nefashot (souls) of you [Pp 2:17]. If more abundantly I have ahavah for you, are you to have less ahavah for me?
16 But let the matter of my being a burden on you be as it may, some say, "Crafty jack that I am, I took you by ormah (cunning)" [BERESHIS 3:1]
17 Now I didn’t take advantage of any of you through anyone I sent to you, did I?
18 I urged Titos to go, and I sent with him the Ach b’Moshiach; [2C 8:6, 16-18] Titos didn’t take advantage of you, did he? Did we not walk our derech by the same Ruach Hakodesh? We did not march out of step, did Titos and I?
19 All along have you been thinking that we are making a hitstaddekut (defense, apology) before you? No, before Hashem in Moshiach we speak! Everything we do, Chaverim, is for the sake of your chozek (strength) and edification!
20 For I fear lest efsher (perhaps) when I come I may not find you as I wish [2C 2:1-4] and that you may not find me as you wish; I fear lest efsher there be merivah (strife), kinah (jealousy), ka’as (anger), machalokot (divisions), lashon hora (evil speech), ga’avah (conceit), commotions;
21 Lest when I come again Hashem Elohai may make me anav (humble) before you, and I should have agmat nefesh over many of the ones who committed averos before [2C 13:2], and have not made teshuva from the tumah (uncleanness) and zenut (fornication) and debauchery which they practiced.
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