2 Corinthians 12

The Vision of Paradise

12It is ¹doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to ^avisions and ^brevelations of the Lord: ²I know a man ^cin Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one ^dwas caught up to the third heaven. ³And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—⁴how he was caught up into ^eParadise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. ⁵Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not ^fboast, except in my infirmities. ⁶For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me.

The Thorn in the Flesh

⁷And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a ^gthorn in the flesh was given to me, ^ha messenger of Satan to ²buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. ⁸ⁱConcerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. ⁹And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly ^jI will rather boast in my infirmities, ^kthat the power of Christ may rest upon me. ¹⁰Therefore ^lI take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. ^mFor when I am weak, then I am strong.

Signs of an Apostle

¹¹I have become ⁿa fool ³in boasting; you have compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you; for ^oin nothing was I behind the most eminent apostles, though ^pI am nothing. ^12qTruly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and ^rwonders and mighty ^sdeeds. ¹³For what is it in which you were inferior to other churches, except that I myself was not burdensome to you? Forgive me this wrong!

Love for the Church

^14tNow for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be burdensome to you; for ^uI do not seek yours, but you. ^vFor the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. ¹⁵And I will very gladly spend and be spent ^wfor your souls; though ^xthe more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.

¹⁶But be that as it may, ^yI did not burden you. Nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you by cunning! ¹⁷Did I take advantage of you by any of those whom I sent to you? ¹⁸I urged Titus, and sent our ^zbrother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same steps?

^19aAgain, ⁴do you think that we excuse ourselves to you? ^bWe speak before God in Christ. ^cBut we do all things, beloved, for your edification. ²⁰For I fear lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish, and that ^dI shall be found by you such as you do not wish; lest there be contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, backbitings, whisperings, conceits, tumults; ²¹lest, when I come again, my God ^ewill humble me among you, and I shall mourn for many ^fwho have sinned before and have not repented of the uncleanness, ^gfornication, and lewdness which they have practiced.