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2 Corinthians 11:16-12:10
English Standard Version
2 Corinthians 11:16-12:10
English Standard Version
Paul's Sufferings as an Apostle
16 I repeat, (A)let no one think me foolish. But even if you do, accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little. 17 What I am saying (B)with this boastful confidence, (C)I say not as the Lord would[a] but as a fool. 18 Since (D)many boast according to the flesh, I too will boast. 19 For you gladly bear with fools, (E)being wise yourselves! 20 For you bear it if someone (F)makes slaves of you, or (G)devours you, or takes advantage of you, or puts on airs, or (H)strikes you in the face. 21 To my shame, I must say, (I)we were too weak for that!
But whatever anyone else dares to boast of—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast of that. 22 Are they Hebrews? (J)So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they (K)servants of Christ? (L)I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, (M)far more imprisonments, (N)with countless beatings, and (O)often near death. 24 Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the (P)forty lashes less one. 25 Three times I was (Q)beaten with rods. (R)Once I was stoned. Three times I (S)was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; 26 on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, (T)danger from my own people, (U)danger from Gentiles, (V)danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; 27 (W)in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, (X)in hunger and thirst, often without food,[b] in cold and exposure. 28 And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for (Y)all the churches. 29 (Z)Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant?
30 (AA)If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. 31 (AB)The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, (AC)he who is blessed forever, (AD)knows that I am not lying. 32 At Damascus, the governor under King Aretas (AE)was guarding the city of Damascus in order to seize me, 33 (AF)but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his hands.
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 (AG)revelations of the Lord. 2 I know a man (AH)in Christ who fourteen years ago was (AI)caught up to (AJ)the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, (AK)God knows. 3 And I know that this man was caught up into (AL)paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, (AM)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, (AN)except of my weaknesses— 6 though if I should wish to boast, (AO)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 (AP)to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations,[c] (AQ)a thorn was given me in the flesh, (AR)a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8 (AS)Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, (AT)“My grace is sufficient for you, for (AU)my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that (AV)the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 (AW)For the sake of Christ, then, (AX)I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For (AY)when I am weak, then I am strong.
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 11:17 Greek not according to the Lord
- 2 Corinthians 11:27 Or often in fasting
- 2 Corinthians 12:7 Or hears from me, even because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations. So to keep me from becoming conceited
2 Corinthians 11:16-12:10
New International Version
2 Corinthians 11:16-12:10
New International Version
Paul Boasts About His Sufferings
16 I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool.(A) But if you do, then tolerate me just as you would a fool, so that I may do a little boasting. 17 In this self-confident boasting I am not talking as the Lord would,(B) but as a fool.(C) 18 Since many are boasting in the way the world does,(D) I too will boast.(E) 19 You gladly put up with(F) fools since you are so wise!(G) 20 In fact, you even put up with(H) anyone who enslaves you(I) or exploits you or takes advantage of you or puts on airs or slaps you in the face. 21 To my shame I admit that we were too weak(J) for that!
Whatever anyone else dares to boast about—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast about.(K) 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I.(L) Are they Israelites? So am I.(M) Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I.(N) 23 Are they servants of Christ?(O) (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder,(P) been in prison more frequently,(Q) been flogged more severely,(R) and been exposed to death again and again.(S) 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes(T) minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods,(U) once I was pelted with stones,(V) three times I was shipwrecked,(W) I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews,(X) in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city,(Y) in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers.(Z) 27 I have labored and toiled(AA) and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food;(AB) I have been cold and naked. 28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.(AC) 29 Who is weak, and I do not feel weak?(AD) Who is led into sin,(AE) and I do not inwardly burn?
30 If I must boast, I will boast(AF) of the things that show my weakness.(AG) 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever,(AH) knows(AI) that I am not lying. 32 In Damascus the governor under King Aretas had the city of the Damascenes guarded in order to arrest me.(AJ) 33 But I was lowered in a basket from a window in the wall and slipped through his hands.(AK)
Paul’s Vision and His Thorn
12 I must go on boasting.(AL) Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations(AM) from the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ(AN) who fourteen years ago was caught up(AO) to the third heaven.(AP) Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows.(AQ) 3 And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— 4 was caught up(AR) to paradise(AS) and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell. 5 I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses.(AT) 6 Even if I should choose to boast,(AU) I would not be a fool,(AV) because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, 7 or because of these surpassingly great revelations.(AW) Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh,(AX) a messenger of Satan,(AY) to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.(AZ) 9 But he said to me, “My grace(BA) is sufficient for you, for my power(BB) is made perfect in weakness.(BC)”(BD) Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight(BE) in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships,(BF) in persecutions,(BG) in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.(BH)
2 Corinthians 11:16-12:10
King James Version
2 Corinthians 11:16-12:10
King James Version
16 I say again, let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little.
17 That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.
18 Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also.
19 For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise.
20 For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face.
21 I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak. Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold also.
22 Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.
23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.
24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.
29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?
30 If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.
31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.
32 In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me:
33 And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.
12 It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.
2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.
3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)
4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
5 Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.
6 For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.
7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.