2 Corinthians 12:1–10

Paul’s Visions and His Thorn

12I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and ^xrevelations of the Lord. ²I know a man ^yin Christ who fourteen years ago was ^zcaught up to ^athe third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, ^bGod knows. ³And I know that this man was caught up into ^cparadise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, ^bGod knows— ⁴and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. ⁵On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, ^dexcept of my weaknesses— ⁶though if I should wish to boast, ^eI would not be a fool, for I would 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. ⁷So ^fto keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations,^{1 g}a thorn was given me in the flesh, ^ha messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. ⁸ⁱThree times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. ⁹But he said to me, ^j“My grace is sufficient for you, for ^kmy power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that ^lthe power of Christ may rest upon me. ^10mFor the sake of Christ, then, ⁿI am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For ^owhen I am weak, then I am strong.