2 Corinthians 12:7-10

New Living Translation

⁷even 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.

⁸Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. ⁹Each 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. ¹⁰That’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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2 Corinthians 12:7-10

International Standard Version

⁷To keep me from becoming conceited because of the exceptional nature of these revelations, a thorn^[a] was given to me and placed in my body.^[b] It was Satan’s messenger to keep on tormenting me so that I would not become conceited.

⁸I pleaded with the Lord three times to take it away from me, ⁹but he has told me, “My grace is all you need, because my power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most happily boast about my weaknesses, so that the Messiah’s^[c] power may rest on me. ¹⁰That is why I take such pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and difficulties for the Messiah’s^[d] sake, for when I am weak, then I am strong.

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Footnotes

2 Corinthians 12:7 Or stake
2 Corinthians 12:7 Lit. was given to me in the flesh
2 Corinthians 12:9 Or Christ’s
2 Corinthians 12:10 Or Christ’s

2 Corinthians 12:7-10

New International Version

⁷or 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. ⁸Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.^(D) ⁹But 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. ¹⁰That 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)