12 We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again,(A) but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us,(B) so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart.

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Are we beginning to commend ourselves(A) again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation(B) to you or from you?

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14 as you have understood us in part, you will come to understand fully that you can boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of the Lord Jesus.(A)

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12 Those who want to impress people by means of the flesh(A) are trying to compel you to be circumcised.(B) The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted(C) for the cross of Christ. 13 Not even those who are circumcised keep the law,(D) yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your circumcision in the flesh.(E) 14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,(F) through which[a] the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.(G)

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Footnotes

  1. Galatians 6:14 Or whom

12 And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. 13 For such people are false apostles,(A) deceitful(B) workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.(C) 14 And no wonder, for Satan(D) himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.(E)

Paul Boasts About His Sufferings

16 I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool.(F) But if you do, then tolerate me just as you would a fool, so that I may do a little boasting.

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Paul’s Concern for the Corinthians

11 I have made a fool of myself,(A) but you drove me to it. I ought to have been commended by you, for I am not in the least inferior to the “super-apostles,”[a](B) even though I am nothing.(C)

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 12:11 Or the most eminent apostles

Paul’s Vision and His Thorn

12 I must go on boasting.(A) Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations(B) from the Lord. I know a man in Christ(C) who fourteen years ago was caught up(D) to the third heaven.(E) Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows.(F) And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— was caught up(G) to paradise(H) and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell. I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses.(I) Even if I should choose to boast,(J) I would not be a fool,(K) 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, or because of these surpassingly great revelations.(L) Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh,(M) a messenger of Satan,(N) to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.(O) But he said to me, “My grace(P) is sufficient for you, for my power(Q) is made perfect in weakness.(R)(S) Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

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

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12 We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves.(A) When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.

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So even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us(A) for building you up rather than tearing you down,(B) I will not be ashamed of it.

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Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses;

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Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth;
    an outsider, and not your own lips.(A)

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