2 Corinthians 12
12
Boasting in Visions and Weakness
1I must go on boasting—though it does no good, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord.
2I know a man in Messiah (whether in the body I don’t know, or whether out of the body I don’t know—God knows)—fourteen years ago, he was caught up to the third heaven.
3I know such a man (whether in the body or outside of the body I don’t know—God knows)—
4he was caught up into Paradise and heard words too sacred to tell, which a human is not permitted to utter.
5On behalf of such a man I will boast—but about myself I will not boast, except in regard to my weaknesses.
6For if I should want to boast, I would not be foolish—for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, so that no one may think more of me than what he sees in me or hears from me—
7even in the extraordinary quality of the revelations. So that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me—a a messenger of satan to torment me, so I would not exalt myself.
8I pleaded with the Lord three times about this, that it might leave me.
9But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Messiah may dwell in me.
10For Messiah’s sake, then, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in distresses, in persecutions, in calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
11I have become a fool—you drove me to it, for I ought to have been commended by you. For I am in no way inferior to the super-special emissaries—though I am nothing.
12Truly the signs of an emissary were worked out among you, with patient endurance, by signs and wonders and mighty miracles.
13For in what respect were you treated worse than the rest of Messiah’s communities—except that I myself did not burden you? Pardon me this injustice!
14Look, I am ready to come to you this third time, and I will not burden you—for I seek not your possessions, but you! For the children are not obliged to save up for the parents, but the parents for the children.
15I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less?
16But be that as it may, I did not burden you myself. Nevertheless, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you with trickery!
17I haven’t taken advantage of you through any of those I sent to you, have I?
18I did urge Titus to visit you, and I sent the brother with him. Titus didn’t take any advantage of you, did he? Didn’t we walk in the same spirit, in the same footsteps?
19All along you’ve been thinking that we are defending ourselves to you. It is before God that we’ve been speaking in Messiah—and all for building you up, loved ones.
20For I am afraid that perhaps when I come, I may find you not as I wish, or I may be found by you not as you wish—that there may be strife, envy, outbursts of anger, self-seeking disputes, lashon ha-ra , gossip, arrogance, unruly commotions.
21I am afraid that when I come again my God may humiliate me before you, and I will mourn for many of those who have sinned before and not repented of the impurity and sexual immorality and indecency which they committed.
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Copyright © 2014 - Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
2 Corinthians 12
12
A Special Blessing in Paul’s Life
1There is more that I have to say about myself. It won’t help, but I will talk now about visions and revelations from the Lord. 2I know a man#12:2 a man In 12:2-5 Paul is probably talking about himself. in Christ who was taken up to the third heaven. This happened 14 years ago. I don’t know if the man was in his body or out of his body, but God knows. 3-4And I know that this man was taken up to paradise. I don’t know if he was in his body or away from his body, but he heard things that he is not able to explain. He heard things that no one is allowed to tell. 5I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself. I will boast only about my weaknesses.
6But if I wanted to say more about myself, I would not be a fool, because I would be telling the truth. But I won’t say any more, because I don’t want people to think more of me than what they see me do or hear me say.
7But I must not be too proud of the wonderful things that were shown to me. So a painful problem#12:7 painful problem Literally, “thorn in the flesh.” was given to me—an angel from Satan, sent to make me suffer, so that I would not think that I am better than anyone else. 8I begged the Lord three times to take this problem away from me. 9But the Lord said, “My grace is all you need. Only when you are weak can everything be done completely by my power.” So I will gladly boast about my weaknesses. Then Christ’s power can stay in me. 10Yes, I am glad to have weaknesses if they are for Christ. I am glad to be insulted and have hard times. I am glad when I am persecuted and have problems, because it is when I am weak that I am really strong.
Paul’s Love for the Believers in Corinth
11I have been talking like a fool, but you made me do it. You people are the ones who should say good things about me. I am worth nothing, but those “super apostles” are not worth any more than I am! 12When I was with you, I patiently did the things that prove I am an apostle—signs, wonders, and miracles. 13So you received everything that the other churches have received. Only one thing was different: I was not a burden to you. Forgive me for this!
14I am now ready to visit you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you. I don’t want any of the things you own. I only want you. Children should not have to save things to give to their parents. Parents should save to give to their children. 15So I am happy to give everything I have for you. I will even give myself for you. If I love you more, will you love me less?
16It is clear that I was not a burden to you, but you think that I was tricky and used lies to catch you. 17Did I cheat you by using any of the men I sent to you? You know I didn’t. 18I asked Titus to go to you, and I sent our brother with him. Titus did not cheat you, did he? No, you know that his actions and his attitude were the same as ours.
19Do you think that we have been defending ourselves to you all this time? No, we say these things in Christ and before God. You are our dear friends, and everything we do is to make you stronger. 20I do this because I am afraid that when I come, you will not be what I want you to be. And I am afraid that I will not be what you want me to be. I am afraid that I will find arguing, jealousy, anger, selfish fighting, evil talk, gossip, pride, and confusion there. 21I am afraid that when I come to you again, my God will make me humble before you. I may have to cry over the loss of some who sinned before. Many of them have still not changed their hearts to be sorry for their evil lives, their sexual sins, and the shameful things they have done.
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