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Paul's Visions and His Thorn

¹ I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and ^(a)revelations of the Lord. ² I know a man ^(b)in Christ who fourteen years ago was ^(c)caught up to ^(d)the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, ^(e)God knows. ³ And I know that this man was caught up into ^(f)paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, ^(g)God knows— ⁴ and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. ⁵ On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, ^(h)except of my weaknesses— ⁶ though if I should wish to boast, ⁽ⁱ⁾I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. ⁷ So ^(j)to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations,^{[a] (k)}a thorn was given me in the flesh, ^(l)a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. ^8 (m)Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. ⁹ But he said to me, ⁽ⁿ⁾"My grace is sufficient for you, for ^(o)my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that ^(p)the power of Christ may rest upon me. ^10 (q)For the sake of Christ, then, ^(r)I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For ^(s)when I am weak, then I am strong.

Concern for the Corinthian Church

^11 (t)I have been a fool! You forced me to it, for I ought to have been commended by you. For I was ^(u)not at all inferior to these super-apostles, ^(v)even though I am nothing. ^12 (w)The signs of a true apostle were performed among you ^(x)with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works. ¹³ For in what were you less favored than the rest of the churches, except that ^(y)I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong!

¹⁴ Here ^(z)for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be a burden, for ^(aa)I seek not what is yours but you. For ^(ab)children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but ^(ac)parents for their children. ^15 (ad)I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If ^(ae)I love you more, am I to be loved less? ¹⁶ But granting that ^(af)I myself did not burden you, I was crafty, you say, and got the better of you by deceit. ¹⁷ Did I take advantage of you ^(ag)through any of those whom I sent to you? ^18 (ah)I urged Titus to go, and sent ^(ai)the brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not act in the same spirit? Did we not take the same steps?

¹⁹ Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? It is ^(aj)in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ, and ^(ak)all for your upbuilding, beloved. ²⁰ For I fear that perhaps ^(al)when I come I may find you not as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish—that perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder. ²¹ I fear that when I come again my God may humble me before you, and I may have to mourn over many of those ^(am)who sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, ^(an)sexual immorality, and sensuality that they have practiced.