1 A2 Cor 11:16, 18, 30; 12:5, 9Boasting is necessary, though it is not profitable; but I will go on to visions and B1 Cor 14:6; 2 Cor 12:7; Gal 1:12; 2:2; Eph 3:3revelations 1Or fromof the Lord. 2 I know a man ARom 16:7in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, B2 Cor 11:11God knows—such a man was CEzek 8:3; Acts 8:39; 2 Cor 12:4; 1 Thess 4:17; Rev 12:5caught up to the DDeut 10:14; Ps 148:4; Eph 4:10; Heb 4:14third heaven. 3 And I know how such a man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, A2 Cor 11:11God knows— 4 was AEzek 8:3; Acts 8:39; 2 Cor 12:2; 1 Thess 4:17; Rev 12:5caught up into BLuke 23:43Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak. 5 A2 Cor 12:1On behalf of such a man I will boast; but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in regard to my B1 Cor 2:3; 2 Cor 12:9fweaknesses. 6 For if I do wish to boast I will not be A2 Cor 5:13; 11:16f; 12:11foolish, B2 Cor 7:14for I will be speaking the truth; but I refrain from this, so that no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me.

7 Because of the surpassing greatness of the A2 Cor 12:1revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a BNum 33:55; Ezek 28:24; Hos 2:6thorn in the flesh, a CJob 2:6; Matt 4:10; 1 Cor 5:5messenger of Satan to 1Lit beattorment me—to keep me from exalting myself! 8 Concerning this I implored the Lord AMatt 26:44three times that it might leave me. 9 And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for A1 Cor 2:5; Eph 3:16; Phil 4:13power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather B1 Cor 2:3; 2 Cor 12:5boast 1Lit inabout my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 10 Therefore ARom 5:3; 8:35I am well content with weaknesses, with 1Or mistreatmentinsults, with B2 Cor 6:4distresses, with C2 Thess 1:4; 2 Tim 3:11persecutions, with B2 Cor 6:4difficulties, D2 Cor 5:15, 20for Christ’s sake; for E2 Cor 13:4when I am weak, then I am strong.

11 I have become A2 Cor 5:13; 11:16f; 12:6foolish; you yourselves compelled me. Actually I should have been commended by you, for B1 Cor 15:10; 2 Cor 11:5in no respect was I inferior to the 1Or super-apostlesmost eminent apostles, even though C1 Cor 3:7; 13:2; 15:9I am a nobody. 12 The 1Or attesting miraclesAJohn 4:48; Rom 15:19; 1 Cor 9:1signs 2Lit of the apostleof a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance, by 1Or attesting miraclessigns and wonders and 3Or works of powermiracles. 13 For in what respect were you treated as inferior to the rest of the churches, except that A1 Cor 9:12, 18; 2 Cor 11:9; 12:14I myself did not become a burden to you? Forgive me B2 Cor 11:7this wrong!

14 Here A2 Cor 1:15; 13:1, 2for this third time I am ready to come to you, and I B1 Cor 9:12, 18; 2 Cor 11:9; 12:13will not be a burden to you; for I C1 Cor 10:24, 33do not seek what is yours, but D1 Cor 9:19you; for E1 Cor 4:14f; Gal 4:19children are not responsible to save up for their parents, but FProv 19:14; Ezek 34:2parents for their children. 15 I will ARom 9:3; 2 Cor 1:6; Phil 2:17; Col 1:24; 1 Thess 2:8; 2 Tim 2:10most gladly spend and be expended for your souls. If B2 Cor 11:11I love you more, am I to be loved less? 16 But be that as it may, I A2 Cor 11:9did not burden you myself; nevertheless, crafty fellow that I am, I B2 Cor 11:20took you in by deceit. 17 A2 Cor 9:5Certainly I have not taken advantage of you through any of those whom I have sent to you, have I? 18 I A2 Cor 8:6urged B2 Cor 2:13Titus to go, and I sent C2 Cor 8:18the brother with him. Titus did not take any advantage of you, did he? Did we not 1Lit walkconduct ourselves 2Or by the same Spiritin the same D1 Cor 4:21spirit and walk ERom 4:12in the same steps?

19 All this time 1Or have you been thinking...?you have been thinking that we are defending ourselves to you. Actually, ARom 9:1; 2 Cor 2:17it is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ; and BRom 14:19; 2 Cor 10:8; 1 Thess 5:11all for your upbuilding, CHeb 6:9beloved. 20 For I am afraid that perhaps A1 Cor 4:21; 2 Cor 2:1-4when I come I may find you to be not what I wish and may be found by you to be not what you wish; that perhaps there will be B1 Cor 1:11; 3:3strife, jealousy, CGal 5:20angry tempers, DRom 2:8; 1 Cor 11:19disputes, ERom 1:30; James 4:11; 1 Pet 2:1slanders, FRom 1:29gossip, G1 Cor 4:6, 18; 5:2arrogance, H1 Cor 14:33disturbances; 21 I am afraid that when I come again my God may humiliate me before you, and I may mourn over many of those who have A2 Cor 13:2sinned in the past and not repented of the B1 Cor 6:9, 18; Gal 5:19; Col 3:5impurity, 1I.e. sexual immoralityimmorality and sensuality which they have practiced.