New American Standard Bible 2020
2 Corinthians 12:7
7Because of the extraordinary greatness of the 1revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given to me a 2thorn in the flesh, a 3messenger of Satan to 4torment me--to keep me from exalting myself!
2 Corinthians 12:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
- New International Version (NIV)or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.
- English Standard Version (ESV)So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.
Context of 2 Corinthians 12:7
5In behalf of such a man I will boast; but in my own behalf I will not boast, except regarding my weaknesses. 6For if I do wish to boast I will not be foolish, for 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. Because of the extraordinary greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me--to keep me from exalting myself! 8Concerning this I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might leave me. 9And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
Read all of 2 Corinthians 122 Corinthians 12:7 word by word
καὶ τῇ ὑπερβολῇ τῶν ἀποκαλύψεων.¶ Διὸ ἵνα μὴ ὑπεραίρωμαι, ἐδόθη μοι σκόλοψ τῇ σαρκί, ἄγγελος σατανᾶ ἵνα με κολαφίζῃ ἵνα μὴ ὑπεραίρωμαι.Read the interlinear
- Because of the extraordinaryὑπερβολήhuperbolē · surpassingG5236
- revelationsἀποκάλυψιςapokalupsis · revelationG602
- for thisδιόdio · thereforeG1352
- to keepμήmē · notG3361
- me from exaltingὑπεραίρωhuperairomai · be haughtyG5229
- myself, there was givenδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
- thornσκόλοψskolops · thornG4647
- in the fleshσάρξsarx · fleshG4561
- messengerἄγγελοςaggelos · angel: messengerG32
- of SatanΣατανᾶςSatanas · SatanG4567
- tormentκολαφίζωkolaphizō · to beatG2852
Cross-references for 2 Corinthians 12:7
- 2 Corinthians 10:5We are destroying arguments and all arrogance raised against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,
- 2 Corinthians 11:20For you tolerate it if anyone enslaves you, if anyone devours you, if anyone takes advantage of you, if anyone exalts himself, if anyone hits you in the face.
- Deuteronomy 8:14then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery;
- Deuteronomy 17:20so that his heart will not be haughty toward his countrymen, and that he will not turn away from the commandment to the right or the left, so that he and his sons may live long in his kingdom in the midst of Israel.
- 2 Chronicles 26:16But when he became strong, his heart was so proud that he acted corruptly, and he was untrue to the Lord his God, for he entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense.
- 2 Chronicles 32:25But Hezekiah did nothing in return for the benefit he received, because his heart was proud; therefore wrath came upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem.
- Daniel 5:20But when his heart was arrogant and his spirit became so overbearing that he behaved presumptuously, he was deposed from his royal throne, and his dignity was taken away from him.
- 1 Timothy 3:6and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into condemnation incurred by the devil.
- 2 Corinthians 12:1Boasting is necessary, though it is not beneficial; but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord.
- Genesis 32:25When the man saw that he had not prevailed against him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip; and the socket of Jacob’s hip was dislocated while he wrestled with him.
- Judges 2:3Therefore I also said, ‘I will not drive them out from you; but they will become like thorns in your sides, and their gods will be a snare to you.’”
- Ezekiel 28:24And there will no longer be for the house of Israel a painful thorn or a hurtful thorn bush from any surrounding them who despised them; then they will know that I am the Lord God.”
- Galatians 4:13but you know that it was because of a bodily illness that I preached the gospel to you the first time;
- Job 2:7Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and struck Job with severe boils from the sole of his foot to the top of his head.
- Luke 13:16And this woman, a daughter of Abraham as she is, whom Satan has bound for eighteen long years, should she not have been released from this restraint on the Sabbath day?”
- 1 Corinthians 5:5I have decided to turn such a person over to Satan for the destruction of his body, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.
Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 12:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7And lest I should be exalted - There were three evils to be guarded against: The contempt of his gifts and call by his enemies. The overweening fondness of his friends. And, Self-exultation. A thorn in the flesh - The word signifies a stake, and , to be tied to a stake by way of punishment; and it is used, says Schoettgen, to signify the most oppressive afflictions. Whatever it was, it was ͅ , in the flesh, i.e. of an outward kind. It was neither sin nor…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7And lest I should be exalted - Lest I should be spiritually proud; lest I should become self-confident and vain, and suppose that I was a special favorite of Heaven. If Paul was in danger of spiritual pride, who is not? If it was necessary for God to adopt some special measures to keep him humble, we are not to be surprised that the same thing should occur in other cases. There is abundant reason to believe that Paul was naturally a proud man. He was by…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-10Verses 7-10 The apostle gives an account of the method God took to keep him humble, and to prevent his being lifted up above measure, on account of the visions and revelations he had. We are not told what this thorn in the flesh was, whether some great trouble, or some great temptation. But God often brings this good out of evil, that the reproaches of our enemies help to hide pride from us. If God loves us, he will keep us from being exalted above…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5-7Paul could talk about his experience (12:2–4), but it did not give him confidence in his ministry. He never uses mystical experiences to prove his apostolic authority. His life and message must be the proof. Instead, he talks about his weaknesses (11:23–33).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. exalted above measure--Greek, "overmuch uplifted." How dangerous must self-exaltation be, when even the apostle required so much restraint! [Bengel]. abundance--Greek, "the excess"; exceeding greatness. given ... me--namely, by God (Job 5:6; Php 1:29). thorn in the flesh--(Nu 33:55; Eze 28:24). Alford thinks it to be the same bodily affliction as in Ga 4:13, 14. It certainly was something personal, affecting him individually, and not as an apostle…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Corinthians 12:7
In the dictionaries
Notes
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 2020 — © 1960–2020 The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Commentaries