NASB — 2 Corinthians 12 — KJV

Paul’s Vision

1 aBoasting° is necessary°, though° it is not profitable°; but I will go° on to visions° and brevelations° Iof the Lord°. 2 I know° a man° ain Christ° who fourteen° years° ago°—whether° in the body° I do not know°, or° out of the body° I do not know°, bGod° knows°—such° a man° was ccaught° up to the dthird° heaven°. 3 And I know° how° such° a man°—whether° in the body° or° apart° from the body° I do not know°, aGod° knows°4 was acaught° up into bParadise° and heard° inexpressible° words°, which° a man° is not permitted° to speak°. 5 aOn behalf° of such° a man° I will boast°; but on my own° behalf° I will not boast°, except° in regard to [my] bweaknesses°. 6 For if° I do wish° to boast° I will not be afoolish°, bfor 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.

[1] IOr from a2Co 11:16, 18, 30; 12:5, 9 b1Co 14:6; 2Co 12:7; Ga 1:12; 2:2; Ep 3:3
[2] aRo 16:7 b2Co 11:11 cEzk 8:3; Ac 8:39; 2Co 12:4; 1Th 4:17; Rv 12:5 dDt 10:14; Ps 148:4; Ep 4:10; He 4:14
[3] a2Co 11:11
[4] aEzk 8:3; Ac 8:39; 2Co 12:2; 1Th 4:17; Rv 12:5 bLk 23:43
[5] a2Co 12:1 b1Co 2:3; 2Co 12:9f
[6] a2Co 5:13; 11:16f; 12:11 b2Co 7:14

A Thorn in the Flesh

7 Because of the surpassing° greatness° of the arevelations°, for this° reason°, to keep° me from exalting° myself, there was given° me a bthorn° in the flesh°, a cmessenger° of Satan° to Itorment° me—to keep° me from exalting° myself! 8 Concerning° this° I implored° the Lord° athree° times° that it might leave° me. 9 And He has said° to me, “My grace° is sufficient° for you, for apower° is perfected° in weakness°.” Most° gladly°, therefore°, I will rather° bboast° Iabout° my weaknesses°, so° that the power° of Christ° may dwell° in me. 10 Therefore° aI am° well° content° with weaknesses°, with Iinsults°, with bdistresses°, with cpersecutions°, with bdifficulties°, dfor Christ’s° sake°; for ewhen° I am° weak°, then° I am° strong°.

[7] ILit beat a2Co 12:1 bNu 33:55; Ezk 28:24; Ho 2:6 cJb 2:6; Mt 4:10; 1Co 5:5
[8] aMt 26:44
[9] ILit in a1Co 2:5; Ep 3:16; Php 4:13 b1Co 2:3; 2Co 12:5
[10] IOr mistreatment aRo 5:3; 8:35 b2Co 6:4 c2Th 1:4; 2Ti 3:11 d2Co 5:15, 20 e2Co 13:4

11 ¶ I have become° afoolish°; you yourselves° compelled° me. Actually° I should° have been commended° by you, for bin no° respect° was I inferior° to the Imost° eminent° apostles°, even° though° cI am° a nobody°. 12 The Iasigns° IIof a true apostle° were performed° among° you with all° perseverance°, by Isigns° and wonders° and IIImiracles°. 13 For in what° respect were you treated° as inferior° to the rest° of the churches°, except° that aI myself° did not become a burden° to you? Forgive° me bthis° wrong°!

[11] IOr super-apostles a2Co 5:13; 11:16f; 12:6 b1Co 15:10; 2Co 11:5 c1Co 3:7; 13:2; 15:9
[12] IOr attesting miracles IILit of the apostle IIIOr works of power aJn 4:48; Ro 15:19; 1Co 9:1
[13] a1Co 9:12, 18; 2Co 11:9; 12:14 b2Co 11:7

14 ¶ Here° afor this° third° time° I am° ready° to come° to you, and I bwill not be a burden° to you; for I cdo not seek° what is yours°, but dyou; for echildren° are not responsible° to save° up for [their] parents°, but fparents° for [their] children°. 15 I will amost° gladly° spend° and be expended° for your souls°. If° bI love° you more°, am I to be loved° less°? 16 But be that as it may, I adid not burden° you myself°; nevertheless°, crafty° fellow that I am, I btook° you in by deceit°. 17 a[Certainly] I have not taken° advantage° of you through° any° of those whom° I have sent° to you, have I? 18 I aurged° bTitus° [to go], and I sent° cthe brother° with him. Titus° did not take° any° advantage° of you, did he? Did we not Iconduct° ourselves° IIin the same° dspirit° [and walk] ein the same° steps°?

[14] a2Co 1:15; 13:1, 2 b1Co 9:12, 18; 2Co 11:9; 12:13 c1Co 10:24, 33 d1Co 9:19 e1Co 4:14f; Ga 4:19 fPv 19:14; Ezk 34:2
[15] aRo 9:3; 2Co 1:6; Php 2:17; Col 1:24; 1Th 2:8; 2Ti 2:10 b2Co 11:11
[16] a2Co 11:9 b2Co 11:20
[17] a2Co 9:5
[18] ILit walk IIOr by the same Spirit a2Co 8:6 b2Co 2:13 c2Co 8:18 d1Co 4:21 eRo 4:12

19 ¶ All° this° time° Iyou have been thinking° that we are defending° ourselves to you. [Actually], ait is in the sight° of God° that we have been speaking° in Christ°; and ball° for your upbuilding°, cbeloved°. 20 For I am° afraid° that perhaps° awhen 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] bstrife°, jealousy°, cangry° tempers°, ddisputes°, eslanders°, fgossip°, garrogance°, hdisturbances°; 21 I am afraid that when I come° again° my God° may humiliate° me before° you, and I may mourn° over many° of those° who have asinned° in the past° and not repented° of the bimpurity°, Iimmorality° and sensuality° which° they have practiced°.

[19] IOr have you been thinking...? aRo 9:1; 2Co 2:17 bRo 14:19; 2Co 10:8; 1Th 5:11 cHe 6:9
[20] a1Co 4:21; 2Co 2:1-4 b1Co 1:11; 3:3 cGa 5:20 dRo 2:8; 1Co 11:19 eRo 1:30; Jm 4:11; 1P 2:1 fRo 1:29 g1Co 4:6, 18; 5:2 h1Co 14:33
[21] II.e. sexual immorality a2Co 13:2 b1Co 6:9, 18; Ga 5:19; Col 3:5


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For commending of his apostleship, though he might glory of his wonderful revelations,

1 ¶ It is¹ª not¹ expedientºª² for meº doubtlessº to glory.ºª¹ I will² comeºª toº visionsº andº revelationsº of the Lord.º 2 I knewºª a manº inº Christº aboveºª fourteenº yearsº ago,¹ (whetherº inº the body,º I cannot¹ tell;ºª² or whetherº outº of the² body,º I cannot¹ tell:ºª² Godº knoweth;)ºª such an oneº caught upºª toº the thirdº heaven.º 3 Andº I knewºª suchº a man,º (whetherº inº the body,º orº outº of the² body,º I cannot¹ tell:ºª² Godº knoweth;)ºª 4 How thatº he was caught upºª intoº paradise,º andº heardºª unspeakableº words,º whichº it is¹ª not¹ lawfulºª² for a manº to utter.ºª 5 Ofº such an oneº will I glory:ºª yetº ofº myselfº I will¹ª notº glory,ºª butº inº mineº infirmities.º 6 Forº thoughº I would desireºª to glory,ºª I shall¹ª notº beºª a fool;º forº I will sayºª the truth:º butº [now] I forbear,ºª lestº any manº should thinkºª ofº meº aboveº that² which¹ he seethºª meº [to be], orº [that] he hearethºª² ofº¹ me.º 7 Andº lestº I should be exalted above measureºª through the² abundanceº of the² revelations,º there was givenºª to meº a thornº in the² flesh,º the messengerº of Satanº toº buffetºª me,º lestº I should be exalted above measure.ºª 8 Forº this thingº I besoughtºª the² Lordº thrice,º thatº it might departºª fromº me.º

[1] Nu 12:6; Ezk 1:1; 11:24; Dn 10:5; Jol 2:28; Jn 16:7; 18:14; Ac 9:10; 18:9; 22:17; 23:11; 26:13; 1Co 6:12; 10:23; 2Co 8:10; 11:16; 12:7, 11; Ga 1:12; 2:2; 1Jn 5:20.
[2] Gn 1:14; 1K 8:27; 18:12; 2K 2:16; Is 45:24; 57:15; Ezk 8:1; 11:24; Lk 24:51; Jn 6:56; 15:4; 17:21; Ac 8:39; 14:6; 22:17; Ro 8:1; 16:7; 1Co 1:30; 2Co 5:6, 17, 21; 11:11; 12:3, 4, 5; 13:5; Ga 1:22; 5:6; Php 1:22; 1Th 4:17; He 9:24; Rv 1:10; 4:2; 12:5.
[4] Ezk 31:9; Lk 23:43; Rv 2:7.
[5] 2Co 11:30; 12:2, 9.
[6] Jb 24:25; Ro 9:1; 1Co 3:5, 9; 2Co 1:18; 10:8, 9; 11:16, 31; 12:7.
[7] Gn 32:25, 31; Dt 8:14; 17:20; Jg 2:3; 2Ch 26:16; 32:25, 31; Jb 2:7; Ezk 28:24; Dn 5:20; Mt 26:67; Lk 13:16; 1Co 4:11; 5:5; 2Co 10:5; 11:20; 12:1; Ga 4:13; 1Ti 3:6.
[8] Dt 3:23; 1S 15:11; 2S 12:16; Ps 77:2; Mt 20:21; 26:39; He 5:7.

yet he rather chooseth to glory of his infirmities,

9 Andº he saidºª unto me,º Myº graceº is sufficientºª for thee:º forº myº strengthº is made perfectºª inº weakness.¹ Most gladly¹² thereforeº will I¹ª ratherº gloryºª inº myº infirmities,º thatº the² powerº of Christº may restºª uponº me.º 10 Thereforeº I take pleasureºª inº infirmities,º inº reproaches,º inº necessities,º inº persecutions,º inº distressesº for¹ª Christ's¹ sake:º² forº whenº I am weak,ºª thenº amºª I strong.º

[9] Ex 3:11; 4:10; Dt 33:25; Jsh 1:9; 2K 2:15; Ps 8:2; Is 4:5; 11:2; 35:3; 40:29; 41:13; 43:2; Jr 1:6; Dn 10:16; Zp 3:17; Mt 5:11; 10:19; 28:18, 20; Lk 21:15; 1Co 10:13; 15:10; 2Co 3:5; 11:30; 12:5, 10, 15; Ep 3:16; Php 4:13; Col 1:11, 28; 1Ti 1:14; He 4:16; 11:34; 1P 4:13.
[10] Lk 6:22; Jn 15:21; Ac 5:41; Ro 5:3; 8:35; 1Co 4:10; 2Co 1:4; 4:5, 8, 11, 17; 7:4; 10:18; 11:23; 12:9; 13:4, 9; Ep 6:10; Php 1:29; 2:17; Col 1:24; Jm 1:2; 1P 1:6; 4:13; Rv 2:3.

blaming them for forcing him to this vain boasting.

11 I am becomeºª a foolº in glorying;ºª yeº have compelledºª me:º forº Iº oughtºª to have been commendedºª ofº you:º forº in nothingº am I behindºª the² very chiefestº² apostles,º¹ thoughº I beºª nothing.º 12 Trulyº the² signsº of an apostleº were wroughtºª amongº youº inº allº patience,º inº signs,º andº wonders,º andº mighty deeds.º 13 Forº whatº is² it¹ª whereinº ye were inferiorºª toº otherº churches,º exceptº [it be] thatº Iº myselfº was¹ª not¹ burdensomeºª² to you?º forgiveºª meº thisº wrong.º

[11] Lk 17:10; 1Co 3:4, 7, 22; 15:8; 2Co 1:6; 11:1, 5, 16; 12:12; Ga 2:6; Ep 3:8.
[12] Ro 15:18; 1Co 1:5; 9:2; 14:18; 2Co 4:2; 6:4; 11:4, 6.
[13] 1Co 9:6, 12, 15; 2Co 11:7, 8; 12:14.

He promiseth to come to them again: but yet altogether in the affection of a father,

14 Behold,ºª the third timeº I amºª readyº to comeºª toº you;º andº I will¹ª notº be burdensomeºª to you:º forº I seekºª notº yours,º butº you:º forº the² childrenº oughtºª notº to lay upºª for the² parents,º butº the² parentsº for the² children.º 15 Andº Iº will very gladlyº spendºª andº be spentºª forº you;º¹ thoughº the more abundantlyº I loveºª you,º the lessº I be loved.ºª 16 Butº be² it so,¹ª Iº did¹ª notº burdenºª you:º nevertheless,º beingºª crafty,º I caughtºª youº with guile.º 17 Did I²² make a gainºª¹ of youº by¹² anyº of them¹ whomº I sentºª untoº you?º 18 I desiredºª Titus,º andº with [him] I sentºª a brother.º Didº¹ª Titusº make a gainºª of you?º walked² we¹ª notº in the² sameº spirit?º [walked we] notº in the² sameº steps?º 19 Again,º think² ye¹ª thatº we excuse ourselvesºª unto you?º we speakºª beforeº Godº inº Christ:º butº [we do] all things,º dearly beloved,º forº yourº edifying.º

[14] Gn 24:35; 31:14; Pv 11:30; 13:22; 19:14; Ac 20:33; 1Co 4:14, 19; 10:33; 11:34; 16:5; 2Co 1:15; 13:1; Php 4:1, 17; 1Th 2:5, 8, 11, 19; 1P 5:2.
[15] 2S 13:39; 17:1; 18:33; Jn 10:10; 1Co 4:8; 2Co 1:6, 14; 2:3; 6:12; 7:3; 12:9, 14; Ga 4:10; Php 2:17; Col 1:24; 1Th 2:8; 2Ti 2:10; He 13:17.
[16] 2Co 1:12; 4:2; 7:2; 10:2; 11:9; 12:13; 1Th 2:3, 5; 1P 2:3.
[17] 2K 5:16, 20; 1Co 4:17; 16:10; 2Co 12:18.
[18] Nu 16:15; 1S 12:3; Ne 5:14; Ac 20:33; Ro 4:12; 2Co 2:12; 7:2, 6; 8:6, 16, 18; Php 2:19; 1P 2:21.
[19] Ro 9:1; 12:19; 1Co 9:12; 10:14, 33; 14:26; 2Co 3:1; 5:12, 13; 7:1; 10:8; 11:10, 31; 12:15; 13:10; Php 4:1.

although he feareth he shall to his grief find many offenders and publick disorders there.

20 Forº I fear,ºª lest,º¹ when I come,ºª I shall¹ª notº findºª youº such² as¹ I would,ºª and [that] Iº shall be foundºª unto youº such asº ye wouldºª not:º lestº¹ [there be] debates,º envyings,º wraths,º strifes,º backbitings,º whisperings,º swellings,º tumults:º 21 [And] lest,º when I comeºª again,º myº Godº will humbleºª meº amongº you,º andº [that] I shall bewailºª manyº which¹ have sinned already,ºª andº have¹ª notº repentedºª ofº the² uncleannessº andº fornicationº andº lasciviousnessº whichº they have committed.ºª

[20] Ps 41:7; Pv 16:28; Ro 1:29; 1Co 1:11; 3:3; 4:6, 18; 5:3; 6:7; 11:16; 14:36; 2Co 1:23; 2:1; 10:2, 6, 8; 12:21; 13:2, 9, 10; Ga 5:15, 19, 26; Ep 4:31; Jm 3:14; 4:1; 1P 2:1; 2P 2:18; Jde 1:16.
[21] Ex 32:31; Dt 9:15, 25; 1S 15:35; Ezr 9:3; 10:1; Ps 119:136; Jr 9:1; 13:17; Lk 9:41; Ro 9:2; 13:13; 1Co 5:1, 9; 6:9, 15; 2Co 2:1, 5; 7:9; 8:24; 9:3; 10:6; 12:7; 13:2; Ga 5:19; Ep 5:5; Php 3:18; Col 3:5; 1Th 4:3; He 13:4; 1P 4:2; 2P 2:10, 18; Jde 1:7, 23; Rv 21:8; 22:15, 20.


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