New American Standard Bible 1995
2 Corinthians 12:3-21
3And I know how such a man--whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, 1God knows-- 4was 2caught up into 3Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak. 54On behalf of such a man I will boast; but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in regard to my 5weaknesses. 6For if I do wish to boast I will not be 6foolish, 7for I will be speaking the truth; but I refrain from this, so that no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me. 7Because of the surpassing greatness of the 8revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a 9thorn in the flesh, a 10messenger of Satan to 11torment me--to keep me from exalting myself! 8Concerning this I implored the Lord 12three times that it might leave me. 9And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for 13power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather 14boast 15about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 10Therefore 16I am well content with weaknesses, with 17insults, with 18distresses, with 19persecutions, with 20difficulties, 21for Christ’s sake; for 22when I am weak, then I am strong.
11I have become 23foolish; you yourselves compelled me. Actually I should have been commended by you, for 24in no respect was I inferior to the 25most eminent apostles, even though 26I am a nobody. 12The 2728signs 29of a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance, by 30signs and wonders and 31miracles. 13For in what respect were you treated as inferior to the rest of the churches, except that 32I myself did not become a burden to you? Forgive me 33this wrong!
14Here 34for this third time I am ready to come to you, and I 35will not be a burden to you; for I 36do not seek what is yours, but 37you; for 38children are not responsible to save up for their parents, but 39parents for their children. 15I will 40most gladly spend and be expended for your souls. If 41I love you more, am I to be loved less? 16But be that as it may, I 42did not burden you myself; nevertheless, crafty fellow that I am, I 43took you in by deceit. 1744Certainly I have not taken advantage of you through any of those whom I have sent to you, have I? 18I 45urged 46Titus to go, and I sent 47the brother with him. Titus did not take any advantage of you, did he? Did we not 48conduct ourselves 49in the same 50spirit and walk 51in the same steps?
19All this time 52you have been thinking that we are defending ourselves to you. Actually, 53it is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ; and 54all for your upbuilding, 55beloved. 20For I am afraid that perhaps 56when I come I may find you to be not what I wish and may be found by you to be not what you wish; that perhaps there will be 57strife, jealousy, 58angry tempers, 59disputes, 60slanders, 61gossip, 62arrogance, 63disturbances; 21I am afraid that when I come again my God may humiliate me before you, and I may mourn over many of those who have 64sinned in the past and not repented of the 65impurity, 66immorality and sensuality which they have practiced.
Notes
- 1. 2 Corinthians 12:3 2 Cor 11:11 ↩
- 2. 2 Corinthians 12:4 Ezek 8:3; Acts 8:39; 2 Cor 12:2; 1 Thess 4:17; Rev 12:5 ↩
- 3. 2 Corinthians 12:4 Luke 23:43 ↩
- 4. 2 Corinthians 12:5 2 Cor 12:1 ↩
- 5. 2 Corinthians 12:5 1 Cor 2:3; 2 Cor 12:9f ↩
- 6. 2 Corinthians 12:6 2 Cor 5:13; 11:16f; 12:11 ↩
- 7. 2 Corinthians 12:6 2 Cor 7:14 ↩
- 8. 2 Corinthians 12:7 2 Cor 12:1 ↩
- 9. 2 Corinthians 12:7 Num 33:55; Ezek 28:24; Hos 2:6 ↩
- 10. 2 Corinthians 12:7 Job 2:6; Matt 4:10; 1 Cor 5:5 ↩
- 11. 2 Corinthians 12:7 Lit beat ↩
- 12. 2 Corinthians 12:8 Matt 26:44 ↩
- 13. 2 Corinthians 12:9 1 Cor 2:5; Eph 3:16; Phil 4:13 ↩
- 14. 2 Corinthians 12:9 1 Cor 2:3; 2 Cor 12:5 ↩
- 15. 2 Corinthians 12:9 Lit in ↩
- 16. 2 Corinthians 12:10 Rom 5:3; 8:35 ↩
- 17. 2 Corinthians 12:10 Or mistreatment ↩
- 18. 2 Corinthians 12:10 2 Cor 6:4 ↩
- 19. 2 Corinthians 12:10 2 Thess 1:4; 2 Tim 3:11 ↩
- 20. 2 Corinthians 12:10 2 Cor 6:4 ↩
- 21. 2 Corinthians 12:10 2 Cor 5:15, 20 ↩
- 22. 2 Corinthians 12:10 2 Cor 13:4 ↩
- 23. 2 Corinthians 12:11 2 Cor 5:13; 11:16f; 12:6 ↩
- 24. 2 Corinthians 12:11 1 Cor 15:10; 2 Cor 11:5 ↩
- 25. 2 Corinthians 12:11 Or super-apostles ↩
- 26. 2 Corinthians 12:11 1 Cor 3:7; 13:2; 15:9 ↩
- 27. 2 Corinthians 12:12 Or attesting miracles ↩
- 28. 2 Corinthians 12:12 John 4:48; Rom 15:19; 1 Cor 9:1 ↩
- 29. 2 Corinthians 12:12 Lit of the apostle ↩
- 30. 2 Corinthians 12:12 Or attesting miracles ↩
- 31. 2 Corinthians 12:12 Or works of power ↩
- 32. 2 Corinthians 12:13 1 Cor 9:12, 18; 2 Cor 11:9; 12:14 ↩
- 33. 2 Corinthians 12:13 2 Cor 11:7 ↩
- 34. 2 Corinthians 12:14 2 Cor 1:15; 13:1, 2 ↩
- 35. 2 Corinthians 12:14 1 Cor 9:12, 18; 2 Cor 11:9; 12:13 ↩
- 36. 2 Corinthians 12:14 1 Cor 10:24, 33 ↩
- 37. 2 Corinthians 12:14 1 Cor 9:19 ↩
- 38. 2 Corinthians 12:14 1 Cor 4:14f; Gal 4:19 ↩
- 39. 2 Corinthians 12:14 Prov 19:14; Ezek 34:2 ↩
- 40. 2 Corinthians 12:15 Rom 9:3; 2 Cor 1:6; Phil 2:17; Col 1:24; 1 Thess 2:8; 2 Tim 2:10 ↩
- 41. 2 Corinthians 12:15 2 Cor 11:11 ↩
- 42. 2 Corinthians 12:16 2 Cor 11:9 ↩
- 43. 2 Corinthians 12:16 2 Cor 11:20 ↩
- 44. 2 Corinthians 12:17 2 Cor 9:5 ↩
- 45. 2 Corinthians 12:18 2 Cor 8:6 ↩
- 46. 2 Corinthians 12:18 2 Cor 2:13 ↩
- 47. 2 Corinthians 12:18 2 Cor 8:18 ↩
- 48. 2 Corinthians 12:18 Lit walk ↩
- 49. 2 Corinthians 12:18 Or by the same Spirit ↩
- 50. 2 Corinthians 12:18 1 Cor 4:21 ↩
- 51. 2 Corinthians 12:18 Rom 4:12 ↩
- 52. 2 Corinthians 12:19 Or have you been thinking...? ↩
- 53. 2 Corinthians 12:19 Rom 9:1; 2 Cor 2:17 ↩
- 54. 2 Corinthians 12:19 Rom 14:19; 2 Cor 10:8; 1 Thess 5:11 ↩
- 55. 2 Corinthians 12:19 Heb 6:9 ↩
- 56. 2 Corinthians 12:20 1 Cor 4:21; 2 Cor 2:1-4 ↩
- 57. 2 Corinthians 12:20 1 Cor 1:11; 3:3 ↩
- 58. 2 Corinthians 12:20 Gal 5:20 ↩
- 59. 2 Corinthians 12:20 Rom 2:8; 1 Cor 11:19 ↩
- 60. 2 Corinthians 12:20 Rom 1:30; James 4:11; 1 Pet 2:1 ↩
- 61. 2 Corinthians 12:20 Rom 1:29 ↩
- 62. 2 Corinthians 12:20 1 Cor 4:6, 18; 5:2 ↩
- 63. 2 Corinthians 12:20 1 Cor 14:33 ↩
- 64. 2 Corinthians 12:21 2 Cor 13:2 ↩
- 65. 2 Corinthians 12:21 1 Cor 6:9, 18; Gal 5:19; Col 3:5 ↩
- 66. 2 Corinthians 12:21 I.e. sexual immorality ↩
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
New American Standard Bible 1995 — © 1960–1995 The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Commentaries