English Standard Version
2 Corinthians 12:2
2I 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)I was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether I was in my body or out of my body, I don’t know—only God knows.
Context of 2 Corinthians 12:2
1I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. 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. 3And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— 4and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter.
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 this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—
- 2 Corinthians 5:17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
- 2 Corinthians 13:5Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!
- Isaiah 45:24"Only in the Lord, it shall be said of me, are righteousness and strength; to him shall come and be ashamed all who were incensed against him.
- John 6:56Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.
- John 15:4Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.
- John 17:21that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
- Romans 8:1There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
- Romans 16:7Greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners. They are well known to the apostles, and they were in Christ before me.
- 1 Corinthians 1:30And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,
- Galatians 1:22And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ.
- Galatians 5:6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.
- Acts 14:6they learned of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding country,
- Acts 22:17"When I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance
- 2 Corinthians 5:6So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord,
- 1 Kings 18:12And as soon as I have gone from you, the Spirit of the Lord will carry you I know not where. And so, when I come and tell Ahab and he cannot find you, he will kill me, although 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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