2 Corinthians 12 :: New American Standard Bible 2020 (NASB20)

Paul’s Vision

1 Boasting ^G2744 is necessary ^G1163, though ^G3303 it is ^G4851 not beneficial ^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 In ^G5228 behalf ^G5228 of such ^G5108 a ^G5108 man ^G5108 I will boast ^G2744; but in ^G5228 my own ^G1683 behalf ^G5228 I will not boast ^G2744, except ^G1508 regarding ^G1722 my 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 ^G3361 no ^G3361 one ^G5100 will credit ^G3049 me with more ^G5228 than ^G5228 he sees ^G991 in me or ^G2228 hears ^G191 from me.

A Thorn in the Flesh

7 Because of the extraordinary ^G5236 greatness of the revelations ^G602, for this ^G1352 reason ^G1352, to keep ^G3361 me from exalting ^G5229 myself, there was given ^G1325 to 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 [fn]about ^G1722 my weaknesses ^G769, so ^G2443 that ^G2443 the power ^G1411 of Christ ^G5547 may dwell ^G1981 in me. 10 Therefore ^G1352 I delight ^G2106 in weaknesses ^G769, in [fn]insults ^G5196, in distresses ^G318, in persecutions ^G1375, in difficulties ^G4730, in ^G5228 behalf ^G5228 of Christ ^G5547; for when ^G3752 I am ^G770 weak ^G770, then ^G5119 I am ^G1510 strong ^G1415.

11 I have become ^G1096 foolish ^G878; you yourselves ^G4771 compelled ^G315 me. Actually ^G1063 I should ^G3784 have been commended ^G4921 by you, since ^G1063 I was in no ^G3762 respect ^G3762 inferior ^G5302 to the [fn]most ^G6088 eminent ^G6088 apostles ^G652, even ^G2532 though ^G1487 I am ^G1510 a nobody ^G3762. 12 The distinguishing ^G4592 marks ^G4592 [fn]of a true apostle ^G652 were performed ^G2716 among ^G1722 you with all ^G3956 perseverance ^G5281, by [fn]signs ^G4592, wonders ^G5059, and [fn]miracles ^G1411. 13 For in what ^G5101 respect were you treated ^G2274 as ^G2274 inferior ^G2274 to the rest ^G3062 of the churches ^G1577, except ^G1508 that I myself ^G846 did not become ^G2655 a ^G2655 burden ^G2655 to ^G2655 you? 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 are not responsible ^G3784 to save ^G2343 up ^G2343 for their parents ^G1118, but parents ^G1118 for their children ^G5043. 15 I will most ^G2234 gladly ^G2234 spend ^G1159 and be expended ^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, devious ^G3835 person ^G3835 that I am, I took ^G2983 you in by deceit ^G1388. 17 Certainly I have not taken ^G4122 advantage ^G4122 of you through ^G1223 any ^G5100 of those whom ^G3739 I have sent ^G649 to you, have I? 18 I urged ^G3870 Titus ^G5103 to go, and I sent ^G4882 the brother ^G80 with him. Titus ^G5103 did not take ^G4122 any ^G4122 advantage ^G4122 of you, did he? Did we not [fn]conduct ^G4043 ourselves [fn]in the same ^G846 spirit ^G4151 and walk in the same ^G846 steps ^G2487?

19 All ^G3819 this ^G3819 time ^G3819 [fn]you have been thinking ^G1380 that we are defending ^G626 ourselves to you. Actually, it is in ^G2713 the ^G2713 sight ^G2713 of God ^G2316 that we have been speaking ^G2980 in Christ ^G5547; and all ^G3956 for building ^G3619 you up ^G3619, beloved ^G27. 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, angry ^G2372 tempers ^G2372, selfishness ^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 ^G4202 immorality ^G4202, and indecent ^G766 behavior ^G766 which ^G3739 they have practiced ^G4238.