^12 (A)We are not commending ourselves to you again but ^(B)giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart.

Ministers of the New Covenant

3 ^(A)Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, ^(B)as some do, ^(C)letters of recommendation to you, or from you?

¹⁴ just as you did ^(A)partially understand us—that ^(B)on the day of our Lord Jesus ^(C)you will boast of us as ^(D)we will boast of you.

^12 (A)It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh ^(B)who would force you to be circumcised, and only ^(C)in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. ¹³ For even those who are circumcised do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. ¹⁴ But far be it from me to boast ^(D)except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which^[a] the world ^(E)has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

¹² And what I am doing I will continue to do, ^(A)in order to undermine the claim of those who would like to claim that in their boasted mission they work on the same terms as we do. ¹³ For such men are ^(B)false apostles, ^(C)deceitful workmen, ^(D)disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. ¹⁴ And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as ^(E)an angel of light. ¹⁵ So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as ^(F)servants of righteousness. ^(G)Their end will correspond to their deeds.

Paul's Sufferings as an Apostle

¹⁶ I repeat, ^(H)let no one think me foolish. But even if you do, accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little.

¹⁸ For it is ^(A)not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one ^(B)whom the Lord commends.

Concern for the Corinthian Church

^11 (A)I have been a fool! You forced me to it, for I ought to have been commended by you. For I was ^(B)not at all inferior to these super-apostles, ^(C)even though I am nothing.

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.

¹² Not that we dare to classify or ^(A)compare ourselves with some of those who ^(B)are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are ^(C)without understanding.