Korinćanima 2 12
Biblija: suvremeni hrvatski prijevod
Pavlova slabost i Božja snaga
12 I nastavit ću se hvaliti. Iako nema od toga nikakve koristi, reći ću vam neka viđenja i objave od Gospodina. 2 Znam čovjeka[a] u Kristu koji je prije četrnaest godina bio uzdignut sve do trećeg neba—je li u tijelu ili izvan tijela, ne znam, to samo Bog zna. 3 I znam da je taj čovjek—u svom tijelu ili izvan njega, ne znam, to samo Bog zna— 4 bio uzdignut u raj i da je čuo neizrecive riječi koje ljudsko biće ne smije govoriti. 5 Tim ću se čovjekom hvaliti, a neću se hvaliti samim sobom, osim svojom slabošću. 6 Jer, ako se odlučim hvaliti, neću ispasti lud budući da govorim istinu. Ali ne želim se hvaliti jer ne želim da mislite kako sam bolji nego što sam se pokazao na riječima i djelu. 7 Da se ne bih previše ponosio izvanrednim objavama koje sam doživio, dan mi je trn u tijelu, Sotonin poslanik, poslan da me muči kako se ne bih uzoholio. 8 Triput sam molio Gospodina da ga makne od mene, 9 ali on mi je rekao: »Moja ti je milost dovoljna, jer moja se snaga najjasnije vidi kad si slab.« Stoga, rado ću se hvaliti svojom slabošću da bi Kristova snaga ostala u meni. 10 Zato se, radi Krista, radujem kad sam slab, kad me vrijeđaju, kad me progone, kad sam u nevoljama. Jer, kad sam slab, onda sam jak!
Ljubav za Korinćane
11 Govorio sam kao da sam lud, ali vi ste me na to natjerali. Vi biste trebali biti oni koji me hvale jer nisam ništa gori od tih »velikih apostola«, premda sam nitko i ništa. 12 Uostalom, dokazi da sam ja apostol postojano su se očitovali među vama kroz čudesne znakove, čuda i silna djela. 13 Na koji ste način, onda, u gorem položaju od drugih crkava, osim po činjenici da vam nisam bio na teret? Oprostite mi zbog toga!
14 Gledajte! Spreman sam vas sada posjetiti i treći put. Neću vam biti na teret jer ne tražim vašu imovinu, nego vas same. Djeca nisu obavezna opskrbljivati svoje roditelje, nego su roditelji obavezni opskrbljivati svoju djecu. 15 A ja bih sa svoje strane jako rado dao sve što imam—pa čak i sebe samoga—za vas. Ako ja vas volim više, zar ćete vi mene voljeti manje?
16 No neka bude! Nisam vas opteretio teškim teretom, nego sam vas, lukav kakav jesam, uhvatio na prevaru. 17 Jesam li vas iskoristio po ikome od onih koje sam vam poslao? Ne! 18 Molio sam Tita da vas posjeti i poslao sam našega brata s njim. Zar vas je Tit iskoristio? Ne! Naši stavovi i postupci bili su isti.
19 Mislite li da se cijelo vrijeme branimo pred vama? Govorimo pred Bogom kao Kristovi učenici i sve što radimo, ljubljeni, radimo zato da vas ojačamo. 20 Jer, bojim se da ću vas, kad dođem, zateći u drugačijem stanju nego što bih želio. I vi ćete vidjeti da sam ja drugačiji nego što biste željeli da budem. Bojim se da će među vama biti svađa, ljubomore, žestokih ispada, sebičnih prepiranja, ogovaranja, oholosti i nereda. 21 Bojim se da bi me, kad dođem, moj Bog mogao pred vama poniziti i ražalostiti zbog mnogih od vas koji su griješili i koji se još nisu obratili od nečistoće, seksualnih grijeha i sramote koju su počinili.
Footnotes
- 12,2 čovjek U 12,2-5 Pavao vjerojatno govori o sebi u trećem licu.
2 Corinthians 12
Revised Standard Version
Paul’s Visions and Revelations
12 I must boast; there is nothing to be gained by it, but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. 3 And I know that this man was caught up into Paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— 4 and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. 5 On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. 6 Though if I wish to boast, I shall not be a fool, for I shall be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. 7 And to keep me from being too elated by the abundance of revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me, to keep me from being too elated. 8 Three times I besought the Lord about this, that it should leave me; 9 but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
Paul’s Concern for the Corinthian Church
11 I have been a fool! You forced me to it, for I ought to have been commended by you. For I was not at all inferior to these superlative apostles, even though I am nothing. 12 The signs of a true apostle were performed among you in all patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works. 13 For in what were you less favored than the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong!
14 Here for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be a burden, for I seek not what is yours but you; for children ought not to lay up for their parents, but parents for their children. 15 I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you the more, am I to be loved the less? 16 But granting that I myself did not burden you, I was crafty, you say, and got the better of you by guile. 17 Did I take advantage of you through any of those whom I sent to you? 18 I urged Titus to go, and sent the brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not act in the same spirit? Did we not take the same steps?
19 Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves before you? It is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ, and all for your upbuilding, beloved. 20 For I fear that perhaps I may come and find you not what I wish, and that you may find me not what you wish; that perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder. 21 I fear that when I come again my God may humble me before you, and I may have to mourn over many of those who sinned before and have not repented of the impurity, immorality, and licentiousness which they have practiced.
Biblija: suvremeni hrvatski prijevod (SHP) © 2019 Bible League International
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.