# 2 Corinthians 12 --- ## Paul’s Revelation 1 I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to gain, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of it I do not know, but God knows. 3 And I know that this man —whether in the body or out of it I do not know, but God knows — 4 was caught up to Paradise. The things he heard were too sacred for words, things that man is not permitted to tell. ## Paul’s Thorn and God’s Grace 5 I will boast about such a man, but I will not boast about myself, except in my [[G0769|weaknesses]]. 6 Even if I wanted to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me, 7 or because of these surpassingly great revelations. So to keep me from becoming conceited, {[[#^47-12-a|a]]} [[G1473|I]] [[G1325|was given]] [[G4647|a thorn]] [[G3588|in my]] [[G4561|flesh]], [[G0032|a messenger]] [[G4567|of Satan]], [[G2852|to torment]] [[G1473|me]]. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But He said to me, “My [[G5485|grace]] [[G0714|is sufficient]] [[G4771|for you]], [[G1063|for]] [[G3588|My]] [[G1411|power]] [[G5055|is perfected]] [[G1722|in]] [[G0769|weakness]].” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my [[G0769|weaknesses]], so that the power of Christ may rest on me. 10 That is why, for the sake of Christ, I delight in [[G0769|weaknesses]], in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am [[G0770|weak]], then I am strong. ## Paul’s Concern for the Corinthians 11 I have become a fool, but you drove me to it. In fact, you should have commended me, since I am in no way inferior to those “super-apostles,” even though I am nothing. 12 The true marks of an apostle — signs, wonders, and miracles — were performed among you with great perseverance. 13 In what way were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong! 14 See, I am ready to come to you a third time, and I will not be a burden, because I am not seeking your possessions, but you. For children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. 15 And for the sake of your souls, I will most gladly spend my money and myself. If I love you more, will you love me less? 16 Be that as it may, I was not a burden to you; but crafty as I am, I caught you by trickery. 17 Did I exploit you by anyone I sent you? 18 I urged Titus to visit you, and I sent our brother with him. Did Titus exploit you in any way? Did we not walk in the same Spirit and follow in the same footsteps? {[[#^47-12-b|b]]} 19 Have you been thinking all along that we were making a defense to you? We speak before God in Christ, and all of this, beloved, is to build you up. 20 For I am afraid that when I come, I may not find you as I wish, and you may not find me as you wish. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, rage, rivalry, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder. 21 I am afraid that when I come again, my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of their acts of impurity, sexual immorality, and debauchery. --- ### Footnotes: - 7 a Some translators end the previous paragraph after verse 6, and begin verse 7 with "So to keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, " ^47-12-a - 18 b Literally "Did we not walk in the same Spirit? Not in the same footsteps?"   ^47-12-b --- - Previous chapter: [[2_Corinthians_11]] - Next chapter: [[2_Corinthians_13]] - TOC: [[TOC_2_Corinthians]] --- ###### The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible (https://bereanbible.com), BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub (https://biblehub.com), Discovery Bible (https://discoverybible.com), OpenBible.com (https://openbible.com), and the Berean Bible Translation Committee. This text of God's Word has been dedicated to the public domain (https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0).