2 Corinthians 12:2–21

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.

Concern for the Corinthian Church

^11pI have been a fool! You forced me to it, for I ought to have been commended by you. For I was ^qnot at all inferior to these super-apostles, ^reven though I am nothing. ^12sThe signs of a true apostle were performed among you ^twith utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works. ¹³For in what were you less favored than the rest of the churches, except that ^uI myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong!

¹⁴Here ^vfor the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be a burden, for ^wI seek not what is yours but you. For ^xchildren are not obligated to save up for their parents, but ^yparents for their children. ^15zI will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If ^aI love you more, am I to be loved less? ¹⁶But granting that ^bI myself did not burden you, I was crafty, you say, and got the better of you by deceit. ¹⁷Did I take advantage of you ^cthrough any of those whom I sent to you? ^18dI urged Titus to go, and sent ^ethe brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not act in the same spirit? Did we not take the same steps?

¹⁹Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? It is ^fin the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ, and ^gall for your upbuilding, beloved. ²⁰For I fear that perhaps ^hwhen I come I may find you not as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish—that perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder. ²¹I fear that when I come again my God may humble me before you, and I may have to mourn over many of those ⁱwho sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, ^jsexual immorality, and sensuality that they have practiced.