2 Corinthians 12
Lexham English Bible
A Vision of Paradise
12 It is necessary to boast; it is not profitable, but I will proceed to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or outside the body I do not know, God knows—such a man was caught up to the third heaven, 3 and I know this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows— 4 that he was caught up to paradise and heard words not to be spoken, which it is not permitted for a person to speak. 5 On behalf of such a person I will boast, but on behalf of myself I will not boast, except in my weaknesses. 6 For if I want to boast, I will not be foolish, because I will be telling the truth, but I am refraining, so that no one can credit to me more than what he sees in me or hears anything from me, 7 even because of the extraordinary degree of the revelations. Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan, in order that it would torment me so that I would not exalt myself. 8 Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would depart from me. 9 And he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, because the[a] power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore rather I will boast most gladly in my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may reside in me. 10 Therefore I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in calamities, in persecutions and difficulties for the sake of Christ, for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.
Paul’s Concern for the Christians at Corinth
11 I have become a fool! You compelled me, for I ought to have been commended by you, for I am in no way inferior to the preeminent apostles,[b] even if I am nothing. 12 Indeed, the signs of an apostle have been done among you with all patient endurance, both signs and wonders and deeds of power. 13 For in what respect are you made worse off[c] more than the rest of the churches, except that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong! 14 Behold, this third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you. For I am not seeking your possessions, but you. For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. 15 But I will spend and be expended most gladly for your lives. If I love you much more, am I to be loved less? 16 But let it be. I have not been a burden to you, but because I[d] was crafty, I took you by cunning. 17 I have not taken advantage of you through anyone whom I sent to you[e], have I?[f] 18 I urged Titus to go, and I sent the brother with him. Titus did not take advantage of you, did he?[g] Did we not conduct ourselves in the same spirit?[h] Did we not walk in the same footsteps?[i] 19 Have you been thinking all this time that we are defending ourselves to you? We are speaking in Christ before God, and all these things, dear friends, are for your edification. 20 For I am afraid lest somehow when I[j] arrive, I will not find you as I want, and I may be found by you as you do not want. I am afraid[k] lest somehow there will be strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, pride, disorder. 21 I am afraid lest when I[l] come again my God will humiliate me in your presence[m], and I will grieve over many of those who sinned previously and have not repented because of their impurity and sexual immorality and licentiousness that they have practiced.
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 12:9 A majority of later manuscripts read “my”
- 2 Corinthians 12:11 Some interpreters take this to refer to the original apostles in Jerusalem; others take Paul to be referring sarcastically to his opponents in Corinth.
- 2 Corinthians 12:13 Literally “for what is it with respect to which you are made worse off”
- 2 Corinthians 12:16 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“was”) which is understood as causal
- 2 Corinthians 12:17 Literally “anyone whom I sent to you, through him”
- 2 Corinthians 12:17 *The negative construction in Greek anticipates a negative answer here
- 2 Corinthians 12:18 *The negative construction in Greek anticipates a negative answer here
- 2 Corinthians 12:18 *The negative construction in Greek anticipates a positive answer here
- 2 Corinthians 12:18 *The negative construction in Greek anticipates a positive answer here
- 2 Corinthians 12:20 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“arrive”) which is understood as temporal
- 2 Corinthians 12:20 The words “I am afraid” are not in the Greek text, but are an understood repetition from the previous clause
- 2 Corinthians 12:21 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“come”) which is understood as temporal
- 2 Corinthians 12:21 Literally “with you”
2 Corinthians 12
Mounce Reverse Interlinear New Testament
12 It is necessary dei for me to continue boasting kauchaomai. Though men it is not ou profitable sympherō, I will go on erchomai · de to eis visions optasia and kai revelations apokalypsis from the Lord kyrios. 2 I know oida a man anthrōpos in en Christ Christos who fourteen dekatessares years etos ago pro— whether eite in en the body sōma I do not ou know oida or eite apart from ektos the ho body sōma I do not ou know oida, only ho God theos knows oida— such a man toioutos was caught up harpazō · ho to heōs the third tritos heaven ouranos. 3 And kai I know oida that · ho this toioutos man anthrōpos— whether eite in en the body sōma or eite apart chōris from the ho body sōma I do not ou know oida, only ho God theos knows oida— 4 that hoti he was caught up harpazō into eis · ho paradise paradeisos and kai heard akouō unspeakable arrētos words rhēma which hos are not ou permitted for a man anthrōpos to utter laleō. 5 On behalf of hyper · ho this man toioutos I will boast kauchaomai, but de on my own emautou behalf hyper I will not ou boast kauchaomai, except ei mē in en my ho weakness astheneia. 6 For gar even if ean I should choose thelō to boast kauchaomai, I would not ou be eimi foolish aphrōn, because gar I would be telling legō the truth alētheia. But de I refrain from pheidomai this, so that no mē one tis will give credit logizomai to eis me egō beyond hyper what hos he sees blepō in me egō or ē he hears akouō from ek me egō, 7 especially kai because of the ho extraordinary hyperbolē character of my ho revelations apokalypsis. Therefore dio in order that hina I should not mē become conceited hyperairō, there was given didōmi to me egō a thorn skolops in the ho flesh sarx, a messenger angelos of Satan Satanas to hina torment kolaphizō me egō, that hina I should not mē become conceited hyperairō. 8 Three times tris I pleaded with parakaleō the ho Lord kyrios about hyper this houtos, that hina it would leave aphistēmi me egō. 9 But kai he said legō to me egō, “ My egō grace charis is sufficient arkeō for you sy, · ho for gar my ho power dynamis is fulfilled teleō in en weakness astheneia.” Therefore oun I will most mallon gladly hēdeōs boast kauchaomai in en · ho my egō weaknesses astheneia, in order that hina the ho power dynamis of ho Christ Christos may dwell episkēnoō in epi me egō. 10 For this reason dio I am content eudokeō with en weaknesses astheneia, with en insults hybris, with en hardships anankē, with en persecutions diōgmos and kai difficulties stenochōria for the sake hyper of Christ Christos; for gar whenever hotan I am weak astheneō, then tote I am eimi strong dynatos.
11 I am acting like ginomai a fool aphrōn, but you hymeis drove anankazō me egō to it. I egō ought opheilō to be commended synistēmi by hypo you hymeis, for gar in no way oudeis am I inferior hystereō to the ho “ super-apostles hyperlian apostolos”— even kai though ei I am eimi nothing oudeis. 12 The ho marks sēmeion of ho an apostle apostolos were done katergazomai among en you hymeis with en all pas persistence hypomonē, along with te signs sēmeion and kai wonders teras and kai powerful dynamis deeds . 13 For gar in what tis way were eimi you less favored than hyper the ho rest loipos of the churches ekklēsia, except ei mē that hoti I egō myself autos was not ou a burden katanarkaō to you hymeis? Forgive charizomai me egō · ho this houtos injustice adikia! 14 Look idou, for the houtos third triton time I am echō ready hetoimōs to come erchomai to pros you hymeis, and kai I will not ou be a burden katanarkaō, because gar I am not ou seeking zēteō what ho you hymeis have , but alla you hymeis. For gar children teknon ought opheilō not ou · ho save up thēsaurizō for their ho parents goneus, but alla the ho parents goneus for the ho children teknon. 15 I egō · de will most gladly hēdeōs spend dapanaō and kai be spent ekdapanaō on behalf hyper of · ho your hymeis souls psychē. If ei I love agapaō you hymeis more perissoterōs, am I to be loved agapaō less hēssōn? 16 But de be that as it may eimi, I egō did not ou burden katabareō you hymeis; yet alla being hyparchō crafty panourgos, I took lambanō you hymeis in lambanō by deceit dolos! 17 I did pleonekteō not mē take advantage of pleonekteō you hymeis through dia anyone tis I sent apostellō to pros you hymeis, did I? 18 I urged parakaleō Titus Titos to visit you and kai I sent synapostellō the ho brother adelphos with him. Titus Titos did not mēti take advantage pleonekteō of you hymeis, did he? Did we peripateō not ou conduct ourselves peripateō in the ho same autos spirit pneuma? Did we ichnos not ou behave ichnos in the ho same autos way ?
19 Have you been thinking dokeō all along palai that hoti we are defending ourselves apologeomai to you hymeis? We are speaking laleō before katenanti God theos as those in en Christ Christos; · ho and de all pas that we do, dear friends agapētos, is for hyper · ho your hymeis upbuilding oikodomē. 20 For gar I am afraid phobeomai that perhaps mē pōs when I come erchomai I may find heuriskō you hymeis not ou as hoios I would wish thelō, and that I kagō may be found heuriskō by you hymeis not ou as hoios you would wish thelō; perhaps mē pōs there will be strife eris, jealousy zēlos, flaring anger thumos, selfish ambition eritheia, backbiting katalalia, gossiping psithurismos, conceit physiōsis, disorder akatastasia. 21 I am afraid that when erchomai I egō come erchomai, my egō God theos may again palin humble tapeinoō me egō · ho before pros you hymeis, and kai that I will mourn pentheō for many polys who ho have sinned earlier proamartanō and kai have not mē repented metanoeō of epi the ho impurity akatharsia, · kai sexual porneia immorality , and kai debauchery aselgeia in which hos they indulged prassō.
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