The Vision of Paradise

12 It is [a]doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to (A)visions and (B)revelations of the Lord: I know a man (C)in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one (D)was caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— how he was caught up into (E)Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not (F)boast, except in my infirmities. For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me.

The Thorn in the Flesh

And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a (G)thorn in the flesh was given to me, (H)a messenger of Satan to [b]buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. (I)Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly (J)I will rather boast in my infirmities, (K)that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore (L)I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. (M)For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Signs of an Apostle

11 I have become (N)a fool [c]in boasting; you have compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you; for (O)in nothing was I behind the most eminent apostles, though (P)I am nothing. 12 (Q)Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and (R)wonders and mighty (S)deeds. 13 For what is it in which you were inferior to other churches, except that I myself was not burdensome to you? Forgive me this wrong!

Love for the Church

14 (T)Now for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be burdensome to you; for (U)I do not seek yours, but you. (V)For the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. 15 And I will very gladly spend and be spent (W)for your souls; though (X)the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.

16 But be that as it may, (Y)I did not burden you. Nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you by cunning! 17 Did I take advantage of you by any of those whom I sent to you? 18 I urged Titus, and sent our (Z)brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same steps?

19 (AA)Again, [d]do you think that we excuse ourselves to you? (AB)We speak before God in Christ. (AC)But we do all things, beloved, for your edification. 20 For I fear lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish, and that (AD)I shall be found by you such as you do not wish; lest there be contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, backbitings, whisperings, conceits, tumults; 21 lest, when I come again, my God (AE)will humble me among you, and I shall mourn for many (AF)who have sinned before and have not repented of the uncleanness, (AG)fornication, and lewdness which they have practiced.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 12:1 NU necessary, though not profitable, to boast
  2. 2 Corinthians 12:7 beat
  3. 2 Corinthians 12:11 NU omits in boasting
  4. 2 Corinthians 12:19 NU You have been thinking for a long time that we

The Race of Faith

12 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, (A)let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and (B)let us run (C)with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the [a]author and [b]finisher of our faith, (D)who for the joy that was set before Him (E)endured the cross, despising the shame, and (F)has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

The Discipline of God(G)

(H)For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, (I)lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. (J)You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons:

(K)“My son, do not despise the [c]chastening of the Lord,
Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;
For (L)whom the Lord loves He chastens,
And scourges every son whom He receives.”

(M)If[d] you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what (N)son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, (O)of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to (P)the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, (Q)that we may be partakers of His holiness. 11 Now no [e]chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields (R)the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Renew Your Spiritual Vitality(S)

12 Therefore (T)strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.

14 (U)Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, (V)without which no one will see the Lord: 15 looking carefully lest anyone (W)fall short of the grace of God; lest any (X)root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; 16 lest there be any (Y)fornicator or [f]profane person like Esau, (Z)who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. 17 For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was (AA)rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.

The Glorious Company

18 For you have not come [g]to (AB)the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and [h]darkness and tempest, 19 and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who heard it (AC)begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore. 20 (For they could not endure what was commanded: (AD)“And if so much as a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned [i]or shot with an arrow.” 21 And so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, (AE)“I am exceedingly afraid and trembling.”)

22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, 23 to the [j]general assembly and church of (AF)the firstborn (AG)who are registered in heaven, to God (AH)the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men (AI)made perfect, 24 to Jesus (AJ)the Mediator of the new covenant, and to (AK)the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things (AL)than that of Abel.

Hear the Heavenly Voice

25 See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For (AM)if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, 26 whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, (AN)“Yet once more I [k]shake not only the earth, but also heaven.” 27 Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the (AO)removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain.

28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we [l]may (AP)serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. 29 For (AQ)our God is a consuming fire.

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 12:2 originator
  2. Hebrews 12:2 perfecter
  3. Hebrews 12:5 discipline
  4. Hebrews 12:7 NU, M It is for discipline that you endure; God
  5. Hebrews 12:11 discipline
  6. Hebrews 12:16 godless
  7. Hebrews 12:18 NU to that which
  8. Hebrews 12:18 NU gloom
  9. Hebrews 12:20 NU, M omit the rest of v. 20.
  10. Hebrews 12:23 festal gathering
  11. Hebrews 12:26 NU will shake
  12. Hebrews 12:28 M omits may

Bible Gateway Recommends