New King James Version
2 Corinthians 12:9
9And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
2 Corinthians 12:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
- New International Version (NIV)But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.
Context of 2 Corinthians 12:9
7And 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. 8Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 11I have become a fool in boasting; you have compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you; for in nothing was I behind the most eminent apostles, though I am nothing.
Read all of 2 Corinthians 122 Corinthians 12:9 word by word
καὶ εἴρηκέν μοι· ἀρκεῖ σοι ἡ χάρις μου· ἡ γὰρ δύναμις ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ τελεῖται. ἥδιστα οὖν μᾶλλον καυχήσομαι ἐν ταῖς ἀσθενείαις μου, ἵνα ἐπισκηνώσῃ ἐπ᾽ ἐμὲ ἡ δύναμις τοῦ Χριστοῦ.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- he saidἐρῶereō · to sayG2046
- unto meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- graceχάριςcharis · graceG5485
- is sufficientἀρκέωarkeō · be sufficientG714
- for theeσύsu · youG4771
- forγάρgar · forG1063
- strengthδύναμιςdunamis · powerG1411
- is made perfectτελειόωteleioō · to perfectG5048
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- weaknessἀσθένειαastheneia · weakness: weakG769
- Most gladlyἥδισταhēdista · most gladlyG2236
- thereforeοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
- will Iκαυχάομαιkauchaomai · to boastG2744
- ratherμᾶλλονmallon · moreG3123
- thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
- of ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
- may restἐπισκηνόωepiskēnoō · to rest upon/dwellG1981
- uponἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
Cross-references for 2 Corinthians 12:9
- 2 Corinthians 12:10Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
- 2 Corinthians 3:5Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God,
- Exodus 3:11But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?”
- Exodus 4:10Then Moses said to the Lord, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.”
- Deuteronomy 33:25Your sandals shall be iron and bronze; As your days, so shall your strength be.
- Joshua 1:9Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
- Isaiah 43:2When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.
- Jeremiah 1:6Then said I: “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth.”
- Matthew 10:19But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak;
- Luke 21:15for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist.
- 1 Corinthians 10:13No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
- 1 Corinthians 15:10But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
- Colossians 1:28Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.
- 1 Timothy 1:14And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.
- Hebrews 4:16Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
- Psalms 8:2Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have ordained strength, Because of Your enemies, That You may silence the enemy and the avenger.
Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 12:9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9My grace is sufficient for thee - Thou shalt not be permitted to sink under these afflictions. Thy enemies shall not be able to prevail against thee. My strength is made perfect in weakness - The more, and the more violently, thou art afflicted and tried, being upheld by my power, and prospered in all thy labors, the more eminently will my power be seen and acknowledged. For the weaker the instrument I use, the more the power of my grace shall be…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9And he said unto me - The Saviour replied. In what way this was done, or whether it was done at the time when the prayer was offered, Paul does not inform us. It is possible, as Macknight supposes, that Christ appeared to him again and spoke to him in an audible manner. Grotius supposes that this was done by the בת קול Bath-qowl- “daughter of the voice,” so frequently referred to by the Jewish writers, and which they suppose to be referred to in 1 Kings…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. 7-10We do not know what Paul's thorn in the flesh was (see Numbers 33:55; Ezekiel 28:24; Hosea 2:6). We only know it was meant to keep him humble, to burst his pride. It was a messenger from Satan, meaning something or someone evil, so Paul asked the Lord to remove it. The Lord replied each time, "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness." Paul's weakness allowed Christ's power to work through him by God's grace. Paul accepted his suffering…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. said--literally, "He hath said," implying that His answer is enough [Alford]. is sufficient--The trial must endure, but the grace shall also endure and never fail thee [Alford], (De 33:25). The Lord puts the words into Paul's mouth, that following them up he might say, "O Lord, Thy grace is sufficient for me" [Bengel]. my strength--Greek, "power." is made perfect--has its most perfect manifestation. in weakness--Do not ask for sensible strength, FOR My…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Corinthians 12:9
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries