2 Corinthians 12

¹To boast is necessary; it is not profitable, to be sure, but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord.

²I know a man in Christ, fourteen years ago — whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows — such a one was caught up to the third heaven.

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

⁴that he was caught up into Paradise and he heard inexpressible words, which it is not permitted for a man to speak.

⁵On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on behalf of myself I will not boast, except in my weaknesses;

⁶For if I should wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I will speak the truth; but I refrain, lest anyone reckon to me beyond what he sees in me or hears anything from me.

⁷and by the surpassing greatness of the revelations. Therefore, so that I might not become conceited, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, that he might buffet me, so that I might not become conceited.

⁸Concerning this, three times I begged the Lord that it might depart from me.

⁹And he has said to me: My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

¹⁰Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions and difficulties, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

¹¹I have become a fool, boasting; you yourselves compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you; for in nothing was I inferior to the super-apostles, even if I am nothing.

¹²Indeed the signs of an apostle were performed among you with all endurance, by both signs and wonders and mighty works.

¹³For in what is it that you were made inferior to the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong!

¹⁴Behold, this third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not burden you; for I do not seek what is yours, but you. For the children ought not to store up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

¹⁵But I will most gladly spend and be utterly spent for your souls. If even loving you more abundantly, I am loved less?

¹⁶But let it be so: I did not burden you; yet being crafty, I took you in by guile.

¹⁷Any of those whom I sent to you — did I take advantage of you through him?

¹⁸I urged Titus, and sent the brother with him; did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same steps?

¹⁹All this time you have been thinking that we are defending ourselves to you. Before God, in Christ, we speak; but all things, beloved, are for your edification.

²⁰For I fear that perhaps, having come, I may find you not such as I wish, and I may be found by you such as you do not wish; lest perhaps there be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish rivalries, slanders, whisperings, conceits, disorders.

²¹lest, when I come again, my God may humble me before you, and I may mourn over many of those who have sinned before and not repented of the impurity and sexual immorality and sensuality which they practiced.