2 Corinthians 12:2

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

1It is necessary to go on boasting. Though it is not profitable, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago (whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows) was caught up to the third heaven. 3And I know that this man (whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows) 4was caught up into paradise and heard things too sacred to be put into words, things that a person is not permitted to speak.

2 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 (whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows)
• 2 Corinthians 5:17So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away – look, what is new has come!
• 2 Corinthians 13:5Put yourselves to the test to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize regarding yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you – unless, indeed, you fail the test!
• Isaiah 45:24they will say about me, “Yes, the Lord is a powerful deliverer.”’” All who are angry at him will cower before him.
• John 6:56The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood resides in me, and I in him.
• John 15:4Remain in me, and I will remain in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me.
• John 17:21that they will all be one, just as you, Father, are in me and I am in you. I pray that they will be in us, so that the world will believe that you sent me.
• Romans 8:1There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
• Romans 16:7Greet Andronicus and Junia, my compatriots and my fellow prisoners. They are well known to the apostles, and they were in Christ before me.
• 1 Corinthians 1:30He is the reason you have a relationship with Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption,
• Galatians 1:22But I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ.
• Galatians 5:6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision carries any weight – the only thing that matters is faith working through love.
• Acts 14:6Paul and Barnabas learned about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and the surrounding region.
• Acts 22:17When I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance
• 2 Corinthians 5:6Therefore we are always full of courage, and we know that as long as we are alive here on earth we are absent from the Lord –
• 1 Kings 18:12But when I leave you, the Lord’s spirit will carry you away so I can’t find you. If I go tell Ahab I’ve seen you, he won’t be able to find you and he will kill me. That would not be fair, because your servant has been a loyal follower of 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

• Heaven
• Paul
• Vision

In the dictionaries

• Christ
• God
• Christ, Messiah
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Backbiting
• Crafty
• Excuse
• Gain
• Grace
• Heaven

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