2 Corinthians 12 – Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

A Vision of Paradise

1 It is necessary ^G1163 to boast ^G2744, though ^G3303 it is ^G4851 not profitable ^G4851, but I will go ^G2064 on to visions ^G3701 and revelations ^G602 [fn]of the Lord ^G2962.

2 I know ^G6063 a man ^G444 in Christ ^G5547 who fourteen ^G1180 years ^G2094 ago ^G4253—whether ^G1535 in the body ^G4983 I do not know ^G6063, or ^G1535 out of the body ^G4983 I do not know ^G6063, God ^G2316 knows ^G6063—such ^G5108 a ^G5108 man ^G5108 was caught ^G726 up to the third ^G5154 heaven ^G3772. 3 And I know ^G6063 how ^G6063 such ^G5108 a ^G5108 man ^G444—whether ^G1535 in the body ^G4983 or ^G1535 apart ^G5565 from the body ^G4983 I do not know ^G6063, God ^G2316 knows ^G6063— 4 was caught ^G726 up into Paradise ^G3857 and heard ^G191 inexpressible ^G731 words ^G4487, which ^G3739 a man ^G444 is not permitted ^G1832 to speak ^G2980. 5 On ^G5228 behalf ^G5228 of such ^G5108 a ^G5108 man ^G5108 I will boast ^G2744, but on ^G5228 my own ^G1683 behalf ^G5228 I will not boast ^G2744, except ^G1508 in weaknesses ^G769. 6 For if ^G1437 I do wish ^G2309 to boast ^G2744 I will not be foolish ^G878, for I will be speaking ^G3004 the truth ^G225; but I refrain ^G5339 from this, so ^G3361 that no ^G3361 one ^G5100 will consider ^G3049 me beyond ^G5228 what he sees ^G991 in me or ^G2228 hears ^G191 from me.

A Thorn in the Flesh

7 Because of the surpassing ^G5236 greatness ^G5236 of the revelations ^G602, for this ^G1352 reason ^G1352, to keep ^G3361 me from exalting ^G5229 myself, there was given ^G1325 me a thorn ^G4647 in the flesh ^G4561, a messenger ^G32 of Satan ^G4567 to [fn]torment ^G2852 me—to keep ^G3361 me from exalting ^G5229 myself! 8 Concerning ^G5228 this ^G3778 I pleaded ^G3870 with the Lord ^G2962 three ^G5151 times ^G5151 that it might leave ^G868 me. 9 And He has said ^G3004 to me, “My grace ^G5485 is sufficient ^G714 for you, for power ^G1411 is perfected ^G5055 in weakness ^G769.” Most ^G2234 gladly ^G2234, therefore ^G3767, I will rather ^G3123 boast ^G2744 in ^G1722 my weaknesses ^G769, so ^G2443 that the power ^G1411 of Christ ^G5547 may dwell ^G1981 in me. 10 Therefore ^G1352 I am ^G2106 well ^G2106 content ^G2106 with weaknesses ^G769, with [fn]insults ^G5196, with distresses ^G318, with persecutions ^G1375 and hardships ^G4730, for ^G5228 the ^G5228 sake ^G5228 of Christ ^G5547, for when ^G3752 I am ^G770 weak ^G770, then ^G5119 I am ^G1510 strong ^G1415.

Concern for the Corinthian Church

11 I have become ^G1096 foolish ^G878; you yourselves ^G4771 compelled ^G315 me. For ^G1063 I ought ^G3784 to have been commended ^G4921 by you, for in no ^G3762 respect ^G3762 was ^G5302 I inferior ^G5302 to the [fn]most-eminent ^G6088 apostles ^G652, even ^G2532 if ^G1487 I am ^G1510 nothing ^G3762.

12 The [fn]signs ^G4592 [fn]of a true apostle ^G652 were worked ^G2716 out ^G2716 among ^G1722 you with all ^G3956 perseverance ^G5281, by [fn]signs ^G4592 and wonders ^G5059 and [fn]miracles ^G1411. 13 For in what ^G5101 respect were you treated ^G2274 as ^G2274 less ^G2274 than the rest ^G3062 of the churches ^G1577, except ^G1508 that I myself ^G846 did not become ^G2655 a ^G2655 burden ^G2655 to ^G2655 you? [fn]Forgive ^G5483 me this ^G3778 wrong ^G93!

14 Here ^G2400 for this ^G3778 third ^G5154 time ^G5154 I am ^G2192 ready ^G2093 to come ^G2064 to you, and I will not be ^G2655 a ^G2655 burden ^G2655 to ^G2655 you; for I do not seek ^G2212 what is yours ^G4771, but you. For children ^G5043 ought ^G3784 not to save ^G2343 up ^G2343 for their parents ^G1118, but parents ^G1118 for their children ^G5043. 15 So I will most ^G2234 gladly ^G2234 spend ^G1159 and be fully ^G1550 spent ^G1550 for your souls ^G5590. If ^G1487 I love ^G25 you more ^G4056, am I to be loved ^G25 less ^G2276? 16 But be that as it may, I did not burden ^G2599 you myself ^G1473. Nevertheless ^G235, crafty ^G3835 fellow that I am, I took ^G2983 you in by deceit ^G1388. 17 Have I taken ^G4122 advantage ^G4122 of you through ^G1223 any ^G5100 of those whom ^G3739 I have sent ^G649 to you? 18 I encouraged ^G3870 Titus ^G5103 to go, and I sent ^G4882 the brother ^G80 with him. Did Titus ^G5103 take ^G4122 any ^G4122 advantage ^G4122 of you? Did we not walk ^G4043 [fn]in the same ^G846 spirit ^G4151—in the very same ^G846 steps ^G2487?

19 All ^G3819 this ^G3819 time ^G3819 [fn]you think ^G1380 we are defending ^G626 ourselves to you. We speak ^G2980 in Christ ^G5547 in ^G2713 the ^G2713 sight ^G2713 of God ^G2316. And all ^G3956 these things ^G3956, beloved ^G27, are for your building ^G3619 up ^G3619. 20 For I am ^G5399 afraid ^G5399 that perhaps ^G4458 when I come ^G2064 I may find ^G2147 you to be not what ^G3634 I wish ^G2309 and may be found ^G2147 by you to be not what ^G3634 you wish ^G2309; that perhaps ^G4458 there will be strife ^G2054, jealousy ^G2205, outbursts ^G2372 of anger ^G2372, selfish ^G2052 ambition ^G2052, slanders ^G2636, gossip ^G5587, arrogance ^G5450, disturbances ^G181. 21 I am afraid that when I come ^G2064 again ^G3825 my God ^G2316 may humiliate ^G5013 me before ^G4314 you, and I may mourn ^G3996 over many ^G4183 of those ^G3588 who have sinned ^G4258 in ^G4258 the ^G4258 past ^G4258 and not repented ^G3340 of the impurity ^G167, sexual immorality ^G4202, and sensuality ^G766 which ^G3739 they have practiced ^G4238.