Amplified Bible
2 Corinthians 12:2
2I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, [only] God knows—such a man was caught up to the third heaven.
2 Corinthians 12:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.
- New International Version (NIV)I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows.
- English Standard Version (ESV)I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows.
- New King James Version (NKJV)I know a man in 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 was caught up to the third heaven.
Context of 2 Corinthians 12:2
1It is necessary to boast, though nothing is gained by it; but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, [only] God knows—such a man was caught up to the third heaven. 3And I know that such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, [only] God knows— 4was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words which man is not permitted to speak [words too sacred to tell].
Read all of 2 Corinthians 122 Corinthians 12:2 word by word
Οἶδα ἄνθρωπον ἐν Χριστῷ πρὸ ἐτῶν δεκατεσσάρων, εἴτε ἐν σώματι οὐκ οἶδα, εἴτε ἐκτὸς τοῦ σώματος οὐκ οἶδα, ὁ θεὸς οἶδεν, ἁρπαγέντα τὸν τοιοῦτον ἕως τρίτου οὐρανοῦ.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- I knewεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
- a manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
- aboveπρόpro · beforeG4253
- fourteenδεκατέσσαρεςdekatessares · fourteenG1180
- years agoἔτοςetos · yearG2094
- whetherεἴτεeite · whetherG1535
- the bodyσῶμαsōma · bodyG4983
- cannotοὐou · noG3756
- out ofἐκτόςektos · outside/exceptG1622
- Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- such an oneτοιοῦτοςtoioutos · such as thisG5108
- caught upἁρπάζωharpazō · to seizeG726
- toἕωςheōs · untilG2193
- the thirdτρίτοςtritos · thirdG5154
- heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
Cross-references for 2 Corinthians 12:2
- 2 Corinthians 12:3And I know that such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, [only] God knows—
- 2 Corinthians 5:17Therefore if anyone is in Christ [that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as Savior], he is a new creature [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; the old things [the previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. Behold, new things have come [because spiritual awakening brings a new life].
- 2 Corinthians 13:5Test and evaluate yourselves to see whether you are in the faith and living your lives as [committed] believers. Examine yourselves [not me]! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves [by an ongoing experience] that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test and are rejected as counterfeit?
- Isaiah 45:24It shall be said of Me, ‘Only in the Lord are righteousness and strength.’ To Him people will come, And all who were angry at Him will be put to shame.
- John 6:56He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood [believes in Me, accepts Me as Savior] remains in Me, and I [in the same way remain] in him.
- John 15:4Remain in Me, and I [will remain] in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself without remaining in the vine, neither can you [bear fruit, producing evidence of your faith] unless you remain in Me.
- John 17:21that they all may be one; just as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, so that the world may believe [without any doubt] that You sent Me.
- Romans 8:1Therefore there is now no condemnation [no guilty verdict, no punishment] for those who are in Christ Jesus [who believe in Him as personal Lord and Savior].
- Romans 16:7Greet Andronicus and Junias, my kinsmen and [once] my fellow prisoners, who are held in high esteem in the estimation of the apostles, and who were [believers] in Christ before me.
- 1 Corinthians 1:30But it is from Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God [revealing His plan of salvation], and righteousness [making us acceptable to God], and sanctification [making us holy and setting us apart for God], and redemption [providing our ransom from the penalty for sin],
- Galatians 1:22And I was still unknown by sight to the churches which were in Christ in Judea (Jerusalem and the surrounding region);
- Galatians 5:6For [if we are] in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but only faith activated and expressed and working through love.
- Acts 14:6they, aware of the situation, escaped to Lystra and Derbe, [taking refuge in the] cities of Lycaonia, and the neighboring region;
- Acts 22:17“Then it happened when I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple [enclosure], that I fell into a trance (vision);
- 2 Corinthians 5:6So then, being always filled with good courage and confident hope, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord—
- 1 Kings 18:12And as soon as I leave you, the Spirit of the Lord will carry you to a place I do not know; so when I come to tell Ahab and he does not find you, he will kill me. Yet your servant has [reverently] feared the Lord from my youth.
Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 12:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2I knew a man in Christ - I knew a Christian, or a Christian man; for to such alone God now revealed himself, for vision and prophecy had been shut up from the Jews. Fourteen years ago - On what occasion or in what place this transaction took place we cannot tell; there are many conjectures among learned men concerning it, but of what utility can they be when every thing is so palpably uncertain? Allowing this epistle to have been written some time in the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2I knew a man in Christ - I was acquainted with a Christian; the phrase “in Christ” meaning nothing more than that he was united to Christ or was a Christian; see Romans 16:7. The reason why Paul did not speak of this directly as a vision which he had himself seen was probably that he was accused of boasting, and he had admitted that it did not become him to glory. But though it did not become him to boast directly, yet he could tell them of a man…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2I know a man in Christ who was caught up: In Greek, Paul modestly uses the third person to refer to himself. The third heaven is a Jewish term for being in God's immediate presence. Fourteen years ago means around AD 43.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. Translate, "I know," not "I knew." a man--meaning himself. But he purposely thus distinguishes between the rapt and glorified person of 2Co 12:2, 4, and himself the infirmity-laden victim of the "thorn in the flesh" (2Co 12:7). Such glory belonged not to him, but the weakness did. Nay, he did not even know whether he was in or out of the body when the glory was put upon him, so far was the glory from being his [Alford]. His spiritual self was his…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Corinthians 12:2
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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