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12 It is necessary dei for me to continue boasting kauchaomai. Though men it is not ou profitable sympherō, I will go on erchomai · de to eis visions optasia and kai revelations apokalypsis from the Lord kyrios. I know oida a man anthrōpos in en Christ Christos who fourteen dekatessares years etos ago pro whether eite in en the body sōma I do not ou know oida or eite apart from ektos the ho body sōma I do not ou know oida, only ho God theos knows oida such a man toioutos was caught up harpazō · ho to heōs the third tritos heaven ouranos. And kai I know oida that · ho this toioutos man anthrōpos whether eite in en the body sōma or eite apart chōris from the ho body sōma I do not ou know oida, only ho God theos knows oida that hoti he was caught up harpazō into eis · ho paradise paradeisos and kai heard akouō unspeakable arrētos words rhēma which hos are not ou permitted for a man anthrōpos to utter laleō. On behalf of hyper · ho this man toioutos I will boast kauchaomai, but de on my own emautou behalf hyper I will not ou boast kauchaomai, except ei mē in en my ho weakness astheneia. For gar even if ean I should choose thelō to boast kauchaomai, I would not ou be eimi foolish aphrōn, because gar I would be telling legō the truth alētheia. But de I refrain from pheidomai this, so that no one tis will give credit logizomai to eis me egō beyond hyper what hos he sees blepō in me egō or ē he hears akouō from ek me egō, especially kai because of the ho extraordinary hyperbolē character of my ho revelations apokalypsis. Therefore dio in order that hina I should not become conceited hyperairō, there was given didōmi to me egō a thorn skolops in the ho flesh sarx, a messenger angelos of Satan Satanas to hina torment kolaphizō me egō, that hina I should not become conceited hyperairō.

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Paul’s Thorn

12 I must boast, although it does not do any good. Let’s talk about visions and revelations from the Lord. I know a man who belongs to the Messiah.[a] Fourteen years ago—whether in his body or outside of his body, I do not know, but God knows—that man was snatched away to the third heaven. I know that this man—whether in his body or outside of his body, I do not know, but God knows— was snatched away to Paradise and heard things that cannot be expressed in words, things that no human being has a right even to mention.

I will boast about this man, but as for myself I will boast only about my weaknesses. However, if I did want to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be telling the truth. But I am not going to do it in order to keep anyone from thinking more of me than what he sees and hears about me.

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

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 12:2 Or Christ
  2. 2 Corinthians 12:7 Or stake
  3. 2 Corinthians 12:7 Lit. was given to me in the flesh