Sufficient Grace

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

Signs of an Apostle

11 I 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. u 12 The signs v of an apostle w were performed with great endurance among you—not only signs but also wonders x and miracles. y 13 So 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

14 Now I am ready to come to you this third time. z I 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. 15 I will most gladly spend and be spent for you. a b If I love you more, am I to be loved less? 16 Now granted, I have not burdened c you; yet sly as I am, I took you in by deceit! d 17 Did I take advantage of you by anyone I sent you? 18 I urged Titus e to come, and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Didn’t we * walk in the same spirit f and in the same footsteps?

19 You have thought all along that we were defending ourselves to you. g No, in the sight of God we are speaking in Christ, and everything, dear friends, is for building you up. h 20 For 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; i there may be quarreling, j jealousy, k outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, l slander, m gossip, arrogance, and disorder. n 21 I fear that when I come my God will again o humiliate me in your presence, and I will grieve for many who sinned before and have not repented p of the moral impurity, sexual immorality, q and promiscuity r they practiced.