2 Corinthians 12

1I mustG1163 go on boastingG2744. Although there is nothing to gainG3756G4851G3303, I will go onG2064 toG1519 visionsG3701 andG2532 revelationsG602 from the LordG2962. 2I knowG1492 a manG444 inG1722 ChristG5547 who fourteenG1180 yearsG2094 agoG4253 was caught upG726 toG2193 the thirdG5154 heavenG3772. WhetherG1535 it was inG1722 the bodyG4983 orG1535 out ofG1622 it I do not knowG3756G1492, but GodG2316 knowsG1492. 3AndG2532 I know thatG1492 this manG444—whetherG1535 inG1722 the bodyG4983 orG1535 out ofG5565 it I do not knowG3756G1492, but GodG2316 knowsG1492— 4was caught upG726 toG1519 ParadiseG3857. The things he heardG191 were inexpressibleG731G4487, things thatG3739 manG444 is not permittedG3756G1832 to tellG2980.

Paul’s Thorn and God’s Grace

5I will boastG2744 aboutG5228 such a manG5108, butG1161 I will not boastG3756G2744 aboutG5228 myselfG1683, exceptG1487G3361 inG1722 my weaknessesG769. 6EvenG1063 ifG1437 I wantedG2309 to boastG2744, I would not beG3756G1510 a foolG878, becauseG1063 I would be speakingG2046 the truthG225. ButG1161 I refrainG5339, so no one will creditG3049 meG1473 with more thanG5228 he seesG991 in meG1473 orG2228 hearsG191 fromG1537 meG1473, 7orG2532 because of theseG3588 surpassingly greatG5236 revelationsG602.

SoG1352 toG2443 keep me from becoming conceitedG3361G5229,1 IG1473 was givenG1325 a thornG4647 inG3588 my fleshG4561, a messengerG32 of SatanG4567, toG2443 tormentG2852 meG1473. 8Three timesG5151 I pleaded withG3870 theG3588 LordG2962 toG2443 take it awayG868 fromG575 meG1473. 9ButG2532 He saidG2046 to meG1473, “MyG1473 graceG5485 is sufficientG714 for youG4771, forG1063 My powerG1411 is perfectedG5055 inG1722 weaknessG769.” ThereforeG3767 I will boastG2744 all the moreG3123 gladlyG2236 inG1722 myG1473 weaknessesG769, so thatG2443 theG3588 powerG1411 of ChristG5547 may restG1981 onG1909 meG1473. 10That is whyG1352, for the sakeG5228 of ChristG5547, I delightG2106 inG1722 weaknessesG769, inG1722 insultsG5196, inG1722 hardshipsG318, inG1722 persecutionsG1375, in difficultiesG4730. ForG1063 whenG3752 I am weakG770, thenG5119 I amG1510 strongG1415.

Paul’s Concern for the Corinthians

11I have becomeG1096 a foolG878, but youG4771 droveG315 meG1473 to it. In factG1063, youG4771 shouldG3784 have commendedG4921 meG1473, sinceG1063 I am in no way inferiorG3762G5302 to thoseG3588 “super-apostlesG5228G652,” evenG2532 thoughG1487 I amG1510 nothingG3762. 12TheG3588 marksG4592 of aG3588 trueG3303 apostleG652—signsG4592, wondersG5059, andG2532 miraclesG1411—were performedG2716 amongG1722 youG4771 withG1722 greatG3956 perseveranceG5281. 13In what wayG5101G1510G3739 were you inferiorG2274 toG5228 theG3588 otherG3062 churchesG1577, exceptG1487G3361 thatG3754 IG1473 was not a burdenG3756G2655 to youG4771? ForgiveG5483 meG1473 thisG3778 wrongG93!

14SeeG2400, I amG2192 readyG2093 to comeG2064 toG4314 youG4771 a third timeG5154, andG2532 I will not be a burdenG3756G2655, becauseG1063 I am not seekingG3756G2212 yourG4771 possessions, butG235 youG4771. ForG1063 childrenG5043 should not haveG3784G3756 to save upG2343 forG3588 their parentsG1118, butG235 parentsG1118 forG3588 their childrenG5043. 15AndG1161 for the sake ofG5228 yourG4771 soulsG5590, IG1473 will most gladlyG2236 spend my moneyG1159 andG2532 myself. IfG1487 I loveG25 youG4771 moreG4057, will you love meG25 lessG2276?

16

Be that as it mayG1510, IG1473 was not a burdenG3756G2599 to youG4771; butG235 craftyG3835 as I amG5225, I caughtG2983 youG4771 by trickeryG1388. 17Did I exploitG3361G4122 youG4771 byG1223 anyoneG5100 I sentG649 youG4771? 18I urgedG3870 TitusG5103 to visit you, andG2532 I sentG4882 our brotherG80 with him. Did TitusG5103 exploitG4122 youG4771 in any way? Did we not walkG3756G4043 in theG3588 sameG846 SpiritG4151 and follow in theG3588 sameG846 footstepsG2487?2

19Have you been thinkingG1380 all alongG3819 thatG3754 we were making a defenseG626 to youG4771? We speakG2980 beforeG2713 GodG2316 inG1722 ChristG5547, andG1161 allG3956 ofG3588 this, belovedG27, is to build you upG4771G3588G3619. 20ForG1063 I am afraidG5399 that when I comeG2064, I may not findG4459G3756G2147 youG4771 asG3634 I wishG2309, andG2504 youG4771 may not find meG2147G3756 asG3634 you wishG2309. I fear that there may beG4459 quarrelingG2054, jealousyG2205, rageG2372, rivalryG2052, slanderG2636, gossipG5587, arroganceG5450, and disorderG181. 21I am afraid that when I comeG1473G2064 againG3825, myG1473 GodG2316 will humbleG5013 meG1473 beforeG4314 youG4771, andG2532 I will be grieved overG3996 manyG4183 whoG3588 have sinned earlierG4258 andG2532 have not repentedG3361G3340 ofG1909 their acts ofG4238 impurityG167, sexual immoralityG4202, andG2532 debaucheryG766.