2 Corinthians 12

Sufficient Grace

12Boasting is necessary. It is not profitable, but I will move on to visions ^hand revelations ⁱof the Lord. ²I know a man in Christ who was caught up ^jinto the third heaven 14 years ago. Whether he was in the body or out of the body, I don’t know, God knows. ³I know that this man—whether in the body or out of the body I don’t know, God knows— ⁴was caught up into paradise. ^kHe heard inexpressible words, which a man is not allowed to speak. ⁵I will boast about this person, but not about myself, except of my weaknesses. ⁶For if I want to boast, I will not be a fool, because I will be telling the truth. ^lBut I will spare you, so that no one can credit me with something beyond what he sees in me or hears from me, ⁷especially because of the extraordinary revelations. Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh ^mwas given to me, a messenger ⁿof Satan ^oto torment me so I would not exalt myself. ⁸Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times to take it away from me. ⁹But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power ^pqis perfected in weakness.” ^rTherefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me. ¹⁰So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, catastrophes, persecutions, and in pressures, because of Christ. ^sFor when I am weak, then I am strong. ^t

Signs of an Apostle

¹¹I have become a fool; you forced it on me. I should have been endorsed by you, since I am not in any way inferior to the “super-apostles,” even though I am nothing. ^u12The signs ^vof an apostle ^wwere performed with great endurance among you—not only signs but also wonders ^xand miracles. ^y13So in what way were you treated worse than the other churches, except that I personally did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong!

Paul’s Concern for the Corinthians

¹⁴Now I am ready to come to you this third time. ^zI will not burden you, for I am not seeking what is yours, but you. For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. ¹⁵I will most gladly spend and be spent for you. ^abIf I love you more, am I to be loved less? ¹⁶Now granted, I have not burdened ^cyou; yet sly as I am, I took you in by deceit! ^d17Did I take advantage of you by anyone I sent you? ¹⁸I urged Titus ^eto come, and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Didn’t we walk in the same spirit ^fand in the same footsteps?

¹⁹You have thought all along that we were defending ourselves to you. ^gNo, in the sight of God we are speaking in Christ, and everything, dear friends, is for building you up. ^h20For I fear that perhaps when I come I will not find you to be what I want, and I may not be found by you to be what you want; ⁱthere may be quarreling, ^jjealousy, ^koutbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, ^lslander, ^mgossip, arrogance, and disorder. ⁿ²¹I fear that when I come my God will again ^ohumiliate me in your presence, and I will grieve for many who sinned before and have not repented ^pof the moral impurity, sexual immorality, ^qand promiscuity ^rthey practiced.