2 Corinthians chapter 12

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2 Corinthians

Chapter 12

Third heaven. Thorn. Sufficient the grace

21 verses

Key verse — 2 Corinthians 12:9

And he has said to me, Sufficient for you is my grace; for my power is completed in weakness.

¹ To boast indeed is not profitable to me; for I will come unto visions and unveilings of Lord.

² I know a man in Christ before fourteen years — whether in body I do not know, or whether outside the body I do not know, God knows — such a one having been seized until a third heaven.

³ And I know such a man — whether in body or outside the body I do not know, God knows —

⁴ that he was seized into the paradise and heard unspeakable words, which it is not permitted to a man to speak.

⁵ On behalf of such a one I will boast; and on behalf of myself I will not boast, except in the weaknesses.

⁶ For if I will to boast, I will not be unminded; for I will say truth; and I spare, lest anyone reckon unto me above what he looks me or hears something out of me.

⁷ And in the throwing-beyond of the unveilings, that I may not be lifted-over, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan, that he may buffet me, that I may not be lifted-over.

⁸ Over this three times I called the Lord alongside, that it might stand-away from me.

⁹ And he has said to me, Sufficient for you is my grace; for my power is completed in weakness. Most gladly therefore I will rather boast in my weaknesses, that the power of the Christ may tent-upon me.

¹⁰ Wherefore I think-well in weaknesses, in insolences, in necessities, in persecutions, in cramped-places, on behalf of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am powerful.

¹¹ I have become unminded, boasting; you compelled me. For I ought to be stood-together by you; for I lacked-behind nothing of the over-exceeding apostles, if even I am nothing.

¹² Indeed the signs of the apostle were worked-down among you in all remaining-under, in signs and wonders and powers.

¹³ For what is it in which you were made-worse above the remaining churches, except that I myself did not burden you? Grace me this injustice.

¹⁴ Behold, this third I am ready to come toward you, and I will not burden you; for I do not seek the things of you but you. For the children ought not to treasure for the parents, but the parents for the children.

¹⁵ And I most gladly will spend and will be spent-out on behalf of your souls, if even more abundantly loving you I am loved less.

¹⁶ And let it be; I did not weigh you down; but being crafty I took you with bait.

¹⁷ Anyone of those whom I have sent toward you, through him did I greed-gain you?

¹⁸ I called Titus alongside and sent-with the brother; did Titus greed-gain you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Not in the same tracks?

¹⁹ Again, do you think that we are defending ourselves to you? Before God in Christ we speak; and all things, beloved, on behalf of your building.

²⁰ For I fear lest somehow, having come, I may not find you such as I will, and I may be found to you such as you do not will; lest somehow strifes, jealousies, furies, rivalries, slanders, whisperings, puffings, instabilities;

²¹ lest again, I having come, my God may humble me toward you, and I may mourn many of those having sinned-before and not having changed-mind upon the uncleanness and fornication and unbridledness which they practiced.

1 Note — v. 1. TR: καυχᾶσθαι δὴ οὐ συμφέρει μοι. “To boast indeed is not profitable to me.”

2 Note — v. 11. TR: γέγονα ἄφρων καυχώμενος. “I have become unminded, boasting.”

3 Note — v. 19. TR: πάλιν δοκεῖτε. “Again, do you think.”

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