II Corinthians 12

¹It is indeed not expedient for me to boast; I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

²I know a man in Christ, fourteen years ago,—whether in the body, I know not, or whether out of the body, I know not; God knoweth,—such a one caught up even to the third heaven.

³And I know such a man, whether in the body, or without the body, I know not; God knoweth,—

⁴that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

⁵Of such a one I will boast; but of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities.

⁶For if I should desire to boast, I should not be a fool; for I should say the truth; but I forbear, lest any one should think of me above what he seeth me to be, or what he heareth from me.

⁷And that I might not be too much lifted up by the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to buffet me, that I might not be too much lifted up.

⁸In respect to this I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me;

⁹and he said to me, My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather boast in my weaknesses, that the strength of Christ may abide upon me.

¹⁰Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses in behalf of Christ; for when I am weak, then am I strong.

¹¹I have become a fool; it is ye that compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you; for in nothing was I behind the very foremost apostles, though I am nothing.

¹²Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you with all endurance, by signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.

¹³For what is there in which ye were at disadvantage when compared with other churches, except that I myself was not a charge to you? Forgive me this wrong.

¹⁴Behold, I am ready to come to you this third time, and I will not be a charge to you; for I seek not yours, but you. For 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 for your souls; though the more I love you, the less I am loved.

¹⁶But be it so; I at least was not a charge to you; but yet, being crafty, I caught you with guile.

¹⁷Did I make gain of you by any of those whom I have sent to you?

¹⁸I urged Titus to go to you, and with him I sent the brother. Did Titus make a gain of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same steps?

¹⁹Have ye been thinking this long time that we are defending ourselves to you? It is before God in Christ that we are speaking; but all things, beloved, for your edification.

²⁰For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and lest I too shall be found by you such as ye would not; lest there be wranglings, envying, wraths, rivalries, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults;

²¹and lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many of those who have sinned already, and did not repent of the uncleanness, and fornication, and lasciviousness, which they committed.

II Corinthians 12

¹It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

²I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.

³And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)

⁴How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

⁵Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.

⁶For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.

⁷And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

⁸For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

⁹And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

¹⁰Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

¹¹I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing.

¹²Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.

¹³For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong.

¹⁴Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for 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 for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.

¹⁶But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile.

¹⁷Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you?

¹⁸I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus make a gain of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps?

¹⁹Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying.

²⁰For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:

²¹And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.