{"book":"2 Corinthians","slug":"2-corinthians","ch":12,"genre":"letter","sub":"2 Corinthians","prev":"2-corinthians/11","next":"2-corinthians/13","verses":[{"v":1,"t":"I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to gain, I will go on to visions and revelations from [the] Lord.","f":[],"h":"Paul’s Revelation","style":"reg"},{"v":2,"t":"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.","f":[]},{"v":3,"t":"And I know that [this] man — whether in [the] body or out of [it] I do not know, [but] God knows —","f":[]},{"v":4,"t":"was caught up to Paradise. [The things] he heard [were] inexpressible, things that man is not permitted to tell.","f":[]},{"v":5,"t":"I will boast about such a man, but I will not boast about myself, except in [my] weaknesses.","f":[],"h":"Paul’s Thorn and God’s Grace","style":"reg"},{"v":6,"t":"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,","f":[]},{"v":7,"t":"or because of these surpassingly great revelations. So to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in [my] flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.","f":["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,"],"lines":[{"style":"","t":"or because of these surpassingly great revelations."},{"style":"reg","t":"So to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in [my] flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me."}],"style":"reg"},{"v":8,"t":"Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.","f":[]},{"v":9,"t":"But He said to me,“ My grace is sufficient for you, for [My] power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me.","f":[],"lines":[{"style":"","t":"But He said to me,"},{"style":"red","t":"“ My grace is sufficient for you, for [My] power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me."}],"style":"red"},{"v":10,"t":"That is why, for the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, [in] difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.","f":[]},{"v":11,"t":"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.","f":[],"h":"Paul’s Concern for the Corinthians","style":"reg"},{"v":12,"t":"The marks of a true apostle — signs, wonders, and miracles — were performed among you with great perseverance.","f":[]},{"v":13,"t":"In what way were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!","f":[]},{"v":14,"t":"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.","f":[],"style":"reg"},{"v":15,"t":"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?","f":[]},{"v":16,"t":"Be that as it may, I was not a burden to you; but crafty as I am, I caught you by trickery.","f":[],"style":"reg"},{"v":17,"t":"Did I exploit you by anyone I sent you?","f":[]},{"v":18,"t":"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?","f":["Literally Did we not walk in the same Spirit? Not in the same footsteps?"]},{"v":19,"t":"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.","f":[],"style":"reg"},{"v":20,"t":"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.","f":[]},{"v":21,"t":"[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.","f":[]}]}