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even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.

Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 10 That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

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So (A)to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations,[a] (B)a thorn was given me in the flesh, (C)a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. (D)Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, (E)“My grace is sufficient for you, for (F)my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that (G)the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 (H)For the sake of Christ, then, (I)I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For (J)when I am weak, then I am strong.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 12:7 Or hears from me, even because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations. So to keep me from becoming conceited

or because of these surpassingly great revelations.(A) Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh,(B) a messenger of Satan,(C) to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.(D) But he said to me, “My grace(E) is sufficient for you, for my power(F) is made perfect in weakness.(G)(H) 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(I) in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships,(J) in persecutions,(K) in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.(L)

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