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| [1]It is not expedient for me no doubt to rejoice: for I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. |
[1]BOASTING is proper, but there is no advantage in it, and I prefer to relate the visions and revelations of our LORD. |
| [2]I know a man in Christ above fourteen years agone, (whether he were in the body, I can not tell, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth) which was taken up into the third heaven. |
[2]I knew a man in Christ more than fourteen years ago, but whether I knew him in the body or without the body, I do not know: God knows; this very one was caught up to the third heaven. |
| [3]And I know such a man (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth,) |
[3]And I still know this man, but whether in the body or whether without the body, I cannot tell; God knows; |
| [4]How that he was taken up into Paradise, and heard words which cannot be spoken, which are not possible for man to utter. |
[4]How that he was caught up to paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. |
| [5]Of such a man will I rejoice: of myself will I not rejoice, except it be of mine infirmities. |
[5]Of such a person, I will boast; but of myself, I will not boast, except in my weaknesses. |
| [6]For though I would rejoice, I should not be a fool: for I will say the truth, but I refrain, lest any man should think of me above that he seeth in me, or that he heareth of me. |
[6]But even if I would desire to boast, I shall not be a fool; for I will tell the truth: but now I refrain, lest any one should think more of me than what he sees me to be and what he hears from me. |
| [7]And lest I should be exalted out of measure through the abundance of revelations, there was given unto me a prick in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, because I should not be exalted out of measure. |
[7]And lest I should be exalted through the abundance of the revelations, there was delivered to me a thorn in my flesh, the angel of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted. |
| [8]For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. |
[8]Three times I besought my LORD concerning this thing, that it might depart from me. |
| [9]And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my power is made perfect through weakness. Very gladly therefore will I rejoice rather in mine infirmities, that the power of Christ may dwell in me. |
[9]And he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore I would rather boast in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me. |
| [10]Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in anguish for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. |
[10]Therefore I am content with infirmities, insults, hardships, persecutions, and imprisonments for Christ's sake: for when I am physically weak, then I am mentally strong. |
| [11]I was a fool to boast myself: ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing was I inferior unto the very chief Apostles, though I be nothing. |
[11]Behold, I am foolish to boast but you have forced me: for you ought to have testified concerning me: for in no way am I less than those apostles who are highly honored, though I am nothing. |
| [12]The signs of an Apostle were wrought among you with all patience, with signs, and wonders, and great works. |
[12]The miracles which the apostles have wrought I have wrought among you also in all patience, in signs, in wonders, and mighty deeds. |
| [13]For what is it, wherein ye were inferiors unto other Churches, except that I have not been slothful to your hinderance? forgive me this wrong. |
[13]For what do you lack that other churches have, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? Forgive me this "fault"! |
| [14]Behold, the third time I am ready to come unto you, and yet will I not be slothful to your hinderance: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the fathers, but the fathers for the children. |
[14]Behold, this is the third time I am prepared to come to you; and I will not burden you; for I seek nothing from you, but yourselves: for children are not under obligation to lay up treasure for the parents, but the parents for the children. |
| [15]And I will most gladly bestow, and will be bestowed for your souls: though the more I love you, the less I am loved. |
[15]I will gladly pay my expenses, and I will even give myself for the sake of your souls; though the more I love you, the less you love me. |
| [16]But be it that I charged you not: yet for as much as I was crafty, I took you with guile. |
[16]But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless as a shrewd man, I caught you with guile: |
| [17]Did I pill you by any of them whom I sent unto you? |
[17]Why? Did I extort anything from you by any of the men whom I sent to you? |
| [18]I have desired Titus, and with him I have sent a brother: did Titus pill you of any-thing? walked we not in the selfsame spirit? walked we not in the same steps? |
[18]I requested Titus to visit you, and I sent brethren with him. Did Titus extort anything from you? Did we not walk in the same spirit, and did we not walk in the same steps? |
| [19]Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? We speak before God in Christ. But we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying. |
[19]Why? Do you still think we are apologizing? No! We speak before God in Christ: and we do all these things, my beloved, for your edification. |
| [20]For 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, and lest there be strife, envying, wrath, contentions, backbitings, whisperings, swellings and discord. |
[20]For I fear, lest when I come to you, I shall not find you such as I wish to find you, and that you also will not find me as you wish to find me: lest there be controversies, envyings, angers, stubbornness, accusations, slanderings, boastings and disorders. |
| [21]I fear lest when I come again, my God abase me among you, and I shall bewail many of them which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness, and fornication, and wantonness which they have committed. |
[21]Perhaps when I come to you, my God will humble me, and I will mourn over many who have sinned, and who have not repented of the impurity, immorality, and lasciviousness which they have committed. |