2 Corinthians · Free Bible Version
2 Corinthians 12 Free Bible Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 I suppose I have to boast, even though it doesn't really help. Let me go on to visions and revelations from the Lord.
1 Καυχᾶσθαι δὴ οὐ συμφέρει μοι· ἐλεύσομαι γὰρ εἰς ὀπτασίας καὶ ἀποκαλύψεις Κυρίου.
2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was taken up to the third heaven (whether physically in the body, or out of it, I don't know, but God knows).
2 οἶδα ἄνθρωπον ἐν Χριστῷ πρὸ ἐτῶν δεκατεσσάρων· εἴτε ἐν σώματι οὐκ οἶδα, εἴτε ἐκτὸς τοῦ σώματος οὐκ οἶδα, ὁ Θεὸς οἶδεν· ἁρπαγέντα τὸν τοιοῦτον ἕως τρίτου οὐρανοῦ.
3 I know that this man (whether taken up physically in the body, or apart from it, I don't know, but God knows),
3 καὶ οἶδα τὸν τοιοῦτον ἄνθρωπον· εἴτε ἐν σώματι εἴτε ἐκτὸς τοῦ σώματος οὐκ οἶδα, ὁ Θεὸς οἶδεν·
4 how he was taken up into Paradise, and heard things too wonderful to be spoken, in words so sacred that no human being is allowed to say.
4 ὅτι ἡρπάγη εἰς τὸν παράδεισον καὶ ἤκουσεν ἄρρητα ῥήματα, ἃ οὐκ ἐξὸν ἀνθρώπῳ λαλῆσαι.
5 Something like that I'll boast about, but I won't boast about myself, except for my weaknesses.
5 ὑπὲρ τοῦ τοιούτου καυχήσομαι, ὑπὲρ δὲ ἐμαυτοῦ οὐ καυχήσομαι εἰ μὴ ἐν ταῖς ἀσθενείαις μου.
6 I wouldn't be foolish if I wanted to boast, because I'd be telling the truth. But I won't boast, so that nobody will think more of me than what they see me doing or hear me saying.
6 ἐὰν γὰρ θελήσω καυχήσασθαι, οὐκ ἔσομαι ἄφρων· ἀλήθειαν γὰρ ἐρῶ· φείδομαι δὲ μή τις εἰς ἐμὲ λογίσηται ὑπὲρ ὃ βλέπει με ἢ ἀκούει τι ἐξ ἐμοῦ.
7 Also, because these revelations were so amazingly great, and so that I wouldn't become proud, I was given a “thorn in my flesh”—a messenger from Satan to hurt me so that I wouldn't become proud.
7 Καὶ τῇ ὑπερβολῇ τῶν ἀποκαλύψεων ἵνα μὴ ὑπεραίρωμαι, ἐδόθη μοι σκόλοψ τῇ σαρκί, ἄγγελος σατᾶν, ἵνα με κολαφίζῃ ἵνα μὴ ὑπεραίρωμαι.
8 I pleaded with the Lord three times to get rid of this problem.
8 ὑπὲρ τούτου τρὶς τὸν Κύριον παρεκάλεσα ἵνα ἀποστῇ ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ·
9 But he told me, “My grace is all you will need, for my power is effective in weakness.” That's why I happily boast about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may reside in me.
9 καὶ εἴρηκέ μοι· ἀρκεῖ σοι ἡ χάρις μου· ἡ γὰρ δύναμίς μου ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ τελειοῦται. ἥδιστα οὖν μᾶλλον καυχήσομαι ἐν ταῖς ἀσθενείαις μου, ἵνα ἐπισκηνώσῃ ἐπ᾽ ἐμὲ ἡ δύναμις τοῦ Χριστοῦ.
10 So I appreciate weaknesses, insults, troubles, persecutions, and difficulties that I suffer for Christ's sake. For when I'm weak, then I'm strong!
10 διὸ εὐδοκῶ ἐν ἀσθενείαις, ἐν ὕβρεσιν, ἐν ἀνάγκαις, ἐν διωγμοῖς, ἐν στενοχωρίαις, ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ· ὅταν γὰρ ἀσθενῶ, τότε δυνατός εἰμι.
11 I'm talking like a fool, but you made me do it! You should really have been speaking well of me, for in no way am I inferior to the super-apostles, even though I don't count for anything.
11 Γέγονα ἄφρων καυχώμενος! ὑμεῖς με ἠναγκάσατε. ἐγὼ γὰρ ὤφειλον ὑφ᾽ ὑμῶν συνίστασθαι· οὐδὲν γὰρ ὑστέρησα τῶν ὑπερλίαν ἀποστόλων, εἰ καὶ οὐδέν εἰμι.
12 Yet the marks of an apostle were patiently demonstrated among you—signs, wonders, and powerful miracles.
12 τὰ μὲν σημεῖα τοῦ ἀποστόλου κατειργάσθη ἐν ὑμῖν ἐν πάσῃ ὑπομονῇ, ἐν σημείοις καὶ τέρασι καὶ δυνάμεσι.
13 In what way were you inferior to the other churches except I wasn't any burden to you? Please forgive me for doing you wrong!
13 τί γάρ ἐστιν ὃ ἡττήθητε ὑπὲρ τὰς λοιπὰς ἐκκλησίας, εἰ μὴ ὅτι αὐτὸς ἐγὼ οὐ κατενάρκησα ὑμῶν; χαρίσασθέ μοι τὴν ἀδικίαν ταύτην.
14 Now I'm preparing to visit you for the third time, and I won't be a burden to you. I don't want what you have, I want you yourselves! After all, children shouldn't save up for their parents, but parents should for their children.
14 Ἰδοὺ τρίτον ἑτοίμως ἔχω ἐλθεῖν πρὸς ὑμᾶς, καὶ οὐ καταναρκήσω ὑμῶν· οὐ γὰρ ζητῶ τὰ ὑμῶν, ἀλλὰ ὑμᾶς. οὐ γὰρ ὀφείλει τὰ τέκνα τοῖς γονεῦσι θησαυρίζειν, ἀλλ᾽ οἱ γονεῖς τοῖς τέκνοις.
15 I will happily spend myself, and be spent, for you. If I love you so much more, will you love me even less?
15 ἐγὼ δὲ ἥδιστα δαπανήσω καὶ ἐκδαπανηθήσομαι ὑπὲρ τῶν ψυχῶν ὑμῶν, εἰ καὶ περισσοτέρως ὑμᾶς ἀγαπῶν ἧττον ἀγαπῶμαι.
16 Well, even if that's so, I wasn't a burden to you. Maybe I was being devious, and tricked you with my cunning ways!
16 Ἔστω δέ, ἐγὼ οὐ κατεβάρησα ὑμᾶς, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπάρχων πανοῦργος δόλῳ ὑμᾶς ἔλαβον.
17 But did I take advantage of you by anyone I've sent to you?
17 μή τινα ὧν ἀπέσταλκα πρὸς ὑμᾶς, δι᾽ αὐτοῦ ἐπλεονέκτησα ὑμᾶς;
18 I urged Titus to go and see you, and I sent another brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? No, we both have the same spirit and use the same methods.
18 παρεκάλεσα Τίτον καὶ συναπέστειλα τὸν ἀδελφόν· μήτι ἐπλεονέκτησεν ὑμᾶς Τίτος; οὐ τῷ αὐτῷ πνεύματι περιεπατήσαμεν; οὐ τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἴχνεσι;
19 Maybe you're thinking that all along we've been just trying to defend ourselves. No, we speak for Christ before God. Everything we do, friends, is for your benefit.
19 Πάλιν δοκεῖτε ὅτι ὑμῖν ἀπολογούμεθα; κατενώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν Χριστῷ λαλοῦμεν· τὰ δὲ πάντα, ἀγαπητοί, ὑπὲρ τῆς ὑμῶν οἰκοδομῆς.
20 I do worry when I visit that somehow I won't find you as I would want to, and that you won't find me as you would want to! I'm afraid that there will be arguments, jealousy, anger, rivalry, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder.
20 φοβοῦμαι γὰρ μήπως ἐλθὼν οὐχ οἵους θέλω εὕρω ὑμᾶς, κἀγὼ εὑρεθῶ ὑμῖν οἷον οὐ θέλετε, μήπως ἔρεις, ζῆλοι, θυμοί, ἐριθεῖαι, καταλαλιαί, ψιθυρισμοί, φυσιώσεις, ἀκαταστασίαι,
21 I'm afraid that when I visit, my God will humble me in your presence, and that I will be weeping over many of those who have sinned previously, and who still have not repented of impurity, sexual immorality, and indecent acts that they committed.
21 μὴ πάλιν ἐλθόντα με ταπεινώσῃ ὁ Θεός μου πρὸς ὑμᾶς καὶ πενθήσω πολλοὺς τῶν προημαρτηκότων καὶ μὴ μετανοησάντων ἐπὶ τῇ ἀκαθαρσίᾳ καὶ πορνείᾳ καὶ ἀσελγείᾳ ᾗ ἔπραξαν.
Cross references (20)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Galatians 1:12; 2 Corinthians 12:7; 1 John 5:20; Acts 22:17–21; 1 Corinthians 10:23
- 2 Acts 22:17; Ezekiel 8:1–3; 1 Thessalonians 4:17; Revelation 4:2; 2 Corinthians 11:11
- 4 Luke 23:43; Revelation 2:7; Ezekiel 31:9
- 5 2 Corinthians 11:30; 1 Corinthians 2:3; 2 Corinthians 12:9–10
- 6 2 Corinthians 11:16; 2 Corinthians 10:8–10; 2 Corinthians 11:31; 2 Corinthians 12:11; 2 Corinthians 12:7
- 7 Numbers 33:55; Judges 2:3; 2 Chronicles 32:25–26; Galatians 4:13; 1 Corinthians 5:5
- 8 Hebrews 5:7; Matthew 26:39–44; 1 Samuel 15:11; 2 Samuel 12:16–18; Psalm 77:2–11
- 9 Philippians 4:13; 2 Corinthians 12:10; Isaiah 40:29–31; Ephesians 3:16; Joshua 1:9
- 10 2 Corinthians 12:9; Ephesians 6:10; Romans 5:3; 2 Corinthians 13:4; James 1:2
- 11 2 Corinthians 11:5; 2 Corinthians 11:1; 1 Corinthians 15:8–10; Ephesians 3:8; 1 Corinthians 3:22
- 12 Romans 15:18–19; 2 Corinthians 4:2; 1 Corinthians 14:18; John 4:48; 1 Corinthians 9:1–2
- 13 1 Corinthians 9:6; 1 Corinthians 9:12; 2 Corinthians 11:7–9; 2 Corinthians 12:14; 1 Corinthians 9:15–18
- 14 Proverbs 19:14; Genesis 24:35–36; 1 Corinthians 10:33; Proverbs 13:22; Genesis 31:14–15
- 15 1 Thessalonians 2:8; 2 Corinthians 1:6; Philippians 2:17; Colossians 1:24; 2 Timothy 2:10
- 16 2 Corinthians 1:12; 2 Corinthians 7:2; 2 Corinthians 10:2–3; 2 Corinthians 12:13; 2 Corinthians 11:9–10
- 17 1 Corinthians 16:10; 2 Kings 5:16; 1 Corinthians 4:17; 2 Corinthians 12:18; 2 Corinthians 9:5
- 18 2 Corinthians 8:6; Romans 4:12; 2 Corinthians 7:6; Philippians 2:19–22; 2 Corinthians 7:2
- 19 Romans 9:1; 1 Corinthians 14:26; 2 Corinthians 10:8; 1 Corinthians 10:14; Philippians 4:1
- 20 1 Peter 2:1; Galatians 5:19–21; Romans 1:29; 1 Corinthians 1:11; Jude 16
- 21 2 Corinthians 13:2; Colossians 3:5; 1 Corinthians 5:9–11; 1 Peter 4:2–3; Revelation 21:8
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
What is this? Doth he who has spoken such great things say, [It is not expedient] "doubtless to glory?" as if he had said nothing?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 12 (1889)
For that there are spiritual creatures in the heavens, all the Scriptures loudly proclaim; and Paul expressly testifies that there are spiritual things when he declares that he was caught up into the third heaven, and again, that he was carried away to paradise, and heard unspeakable words which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
… ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God; and expressing not only his sorrow, but bitter lamentation over some who had formally sinned and had not repented of their uncleanness and fornications. If these emotions and affections, arising as they do from the love of what is …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
… when in much danger and affliction, often besought God that the temptations might depart from him: nevertheless God regarded not his request, but his profit, and to signify this He said, "My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness." So that before He hath told him the reason, He benefits him against his will, …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
For Peter was there, who carrieth the keys of heaven: and nothing wonderful, for Paul was there, who was caught up to the third heaven, and into Paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful far a man to utter.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)