A Special Blessing in Paul’s Life
12 I must continue to ·brag [boast]. It will do no good, but I will talk now about visions and revelations from the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ [C a believer] who was ·taken up [caught up; snatched away] to the third heaven [C the presence of God] fourteen years ago [C Paul is indirectly referring to himself]. I do not know whether the man was in his body or out of his body, but God knows. And I know that this man was ·taken up [caught up; snatched away] to paradise [C another name for heaven; Luke 23:43; Rev. 2:7]. I don’t know if he was in his body or away from his body, but God knows. He heard things ·he is not able to explain [inexpressible; ineffable], things that no human is allowed to tell. 5 I will ·brag [boast] about a man like that, but I will not ·brag [boast] about myself, except about my weaknesses. 6 But if I wanted to ·brag [boast] about myself, I would not be a fool, because I would be telling the truth. But I will ·not brag about myself [spare you; refrain from this] because I do not want people to think more of me than what they see me do or hear me ·say [or say, or because of these extraordinary revelations; C this phrase may go here or with the next sentence].
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