2 Corinthians 12
12
Visions and Revelations
1#Gal 1:12; 2:2Doubtless it is not profitable for me to boast. So I will move on to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2#2Co 11:11; Ac 22:17I knew a man in Christ over fourteen years ago—whether in the body or out of the body I cannot tell, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven. 3And I knew that such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I cannot tell, God knows— 4#Lk 23:43; Rev 2:7was caught up into paradise and heard inexpressible words not permitted for a man to say. 5Of such a person, I will boast. Yet of myself I will not boast, except in my weaknesses. 6#2Co 11:16For if I desire to boast, I will not be a fool, for I will be speaking the truth. But now I resist, lest anyone should think of me above that which he sees me to be or hears from me. 7#Nu 33:55; Eze 28:24And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me, lest I be exalted above measure. 8I asked the Lord three times that this thing might depart from me. 9#Php 4:13; 2Co 12:10; Isa 40:29–31But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will boast in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10#Ro 5:3; 2Co 13:4So I take pleasure in weaknesses, in reproaches, in hardships, in persecutions, and in distresses for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Paul’s Concern for the Corinthian Church
11#2Co 11:5; 11:1I have become a fool in boasting. You have compelled me, for I ought to have been commended by you, for I am in no way inferior to the leading apostles, though I am nothing. 12Truly the signs of an apostle were performed among you in all patience, in signs and wonders, and mighty deeds. 13#1Co 9:12; 2Co 12:14For in what respect were you inferior to other churches, unless it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? Forgive me this wrong!
14#Pr 19:14; 1Co 4:14–15I am ready to come to you this third time. And I will not be burdensome to you, for I do not seek what is yours, but you. For the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. 15#Php 2:17; 1Th 2:8And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you. If I love you more, am I to be loved less? 16But be that as it may. I did not burden you. Nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with deceit. 17Did I take advantage of you by any of those whom I sent to you? 18#2Co 8:6; Ro 4:12I urged Titus to go, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same steps?
19#Ro 9:1; 2Co 10:8Again, do you think that we are defending ourselves to you? We speak before God in Christ. We do all things, beloved, for your edifying. 20#Ro 1:29; 1Co 1:11For I fear that when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish, and that I shall be found by you such as you do not wish. I fear there are debates, envying, wrath, strife, backbiting, whispering, arrogance, and disorder. 21#2Co 13:2; 1Co 5:1And I fear that when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall mourn for many who have sinned already, who have not repented of uncleanness, sexual immorality, and lasciviousness which they have committed.
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Military Bible Association
II Corinthians 12
12
The Vision of Paradise
1It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to #Acts 16:9; 18:9; 22:17, 18; 23:11; 26:13–15; 27:23visions and #Acts 9:3–6; 1 Cor. 14:6; 2 Cor. 12:7; (Gal. 1:12; 2:2; Eph. 3:3–6)revelations of the Lord: 2I know a man #Rom. 16:7; Gal. 1:22in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one #Acts 22:17was caught up to the third heaven. 3And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— 4how he was caught up into #Luke 23:43; (Rev. 2:7)Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. 5Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not #2 Cor. 11:30boast, except in my infirmities. 6For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me.
The Thorn in the Flesh
7And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a #Num. 33:55; Ezek. 28:24; Hos. 2:6; Gal. 4:13, 14thorn in the flesh was given to me, #Job 2:7; Matt. 4:10; Luke 13:16; (1 Cor. 5:5)a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. 8#Deut. 3:23; Matt. 26:44Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly #2 Cor. 11:30I will rather boast in my infirmities, #(1 Pet. 4:14)that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10Therefore #(Rom. 5:3; 8:35)I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. #2 Cor. 13:4For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Signs of an Apostle
11I have become #2 Cor. 5:13; 11:1, 16; 12:6a fool in boasting; you have compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you; for #1 Cor. 15:10; 2 Cor. 11:5in nothing was I behind the most eminent apostles, though #1 Cor. 3:7; 13:2; 15:9I am nothing. 12#Acts 14:3; Rom. 15:18Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and #Acts 15:12wonders and mighty #Acts 14:8–10; 16:16–18; 19:11, 12; 20:6–12; 28:1–10deeds. 13For what is it in which you were inferior to other churches, except that I myself was not burdensome to you? Forgive me this wrong!
Love for the Church
14#2 Cor. 1:15; 13:1, 2Now for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be burdensome to you; for #Acts 20:33; (1 Cor. 10:24–33)I do not seek yours, but you. #1 Cor. 4:14; Gal. 4:19For the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. 15And I will very gladly spend and be spent #John 10:11; Rom. 9:3; 2 Cor. 1:6; Phil. 2:17; Col. 1:24; 1 Thess. 2:8; (2 Tim. 2:10)for your souls; though #2 Cor. 6:12, 13the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.
16But be that as it may, #2 Cor. 11:9I did not burden you. Nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you by cunning! 17Did I take advantage of you by any of those whom I sent to you? 18I urged Titus, and sent our #2 Cor. 8:18brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same steps?
19#2 Cor. 5:12Again, do you think that we excuse ourselves to you? #(Rom. 9:1, 2); 2 Cor. 11:31We speak before God in Christ. #1 Cor. 10:33But we do all things, beloved, for your edification. 20For I fear lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish, and that #1 Cor. 4:21; 2 Cor. 13:2, 10I shall be found by you such as you do not wish; lest there be contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, backbitings, whisperings, conceits, tumults; 21lest, when I come again, my God #2 Cor. 2:1, 4will humble me among you, and I shall mourn for many #2 Cor. 13:2who have sinned before and have not repented of the uncleanness, #1 Cor. 5:1fornication, and lewdness which they have practiced.
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.