Christian Standard Bible
2 Corinthians 12:2
2I know a man in Christ who was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether he was in the body or out of the body, I don’t know; God knows.
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
1Boasting is necessary. It is not profitable, but I will move on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who was caught up to the third heaven fourteen 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 and heard inexpressible words, which a human being is not allowed to speak.
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 12:3I know that this man — whether in the body or out of the body I don’t know; God knows —
- 2 Corinthians 5:17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!
- 2 Corinthians 13:5Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith. Examine yourselves. Or do you yourselves not recognize that Jesus Christ is in you? — unless you fail the test.
- Isaiah 45:24It will be said about me, ‘Righteousness and strength are found only in the Lord.’” All who are enraged against him will come to him and be put to shame.
- John 6:56The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.
- John 15:4Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me.
- John 17:21May they all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us, so that the world may believe you sent me.
- Romans 8:1Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus,
- Romans 16:7Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews and fellow prisoners. They are noteworthy in the eyes of the apostles, and they were also in Christ before me.
- 1 Corinthians 1:30It is from him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became wisdom from God for us — our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption —
- Galatians 1:22I remained personally unknown to the Judean churches that are in Christ.
- Galatians 5:6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision accomplishes anything; what matters is faith working through love.
- Acts 14:6they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian towns of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding countryside.
- Acts 22:17“After I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance
- 2 Corinthians 5:6So we are always confident and know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord.
- 1 Kings 18:12But when I leave you, the Spirit of the Lord may carry you off to some place I don’t know. Then when I go report to Ahab and he doesn’t find you, he will kill me. But I, your servant, have 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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