II Corinthians Chapter 12
Other Translations
darby (darby) - eBible.org Darby 1890 plaintext
1
Well, it is not of profit to me to boast, for I will come to visions and revelations of [the] Lord.
2
I know a man in Christ, fourteen years ago, (whether in [the] body I know not, or out of the body I know not,God knows;) such [a one] caught up to [the] third heaven.
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And I know such a man, (whether in [the] body or out of the body I know not,God knows;)
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that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable things said which it is not allowed to man to utter.
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Of such [a one] I will boast, but of myself I will not boast, unless in my weaknesses.
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For if I shall desire to boast, I shall not be a fool; for I will say [the] truth; but I forbear, lest any one should think as to me above what he sees me [to be], or whatever he may hear of me.
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And that I might not be exalted by the exceeding greatness of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn for the flesh, a messenger of Satan that he might buffet me, that I might not be exalted.
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For this I thrice besought the Lord that it might depart from me.
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And he said to me, My grace suffices thee; for [my] power is perfected in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather boast in my weaknesses, that the power of the Christ may dwell upon me.
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Wherefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in insults, in necessities, in persecutions, in straits, for Christ: for when I am weak, then I am powerful.
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I have become a fool; ye have compelled me; for I ought to have been commended by you; for I have been nothing behind those who were in surpassing degree apostles, if also I am nothing.
12
The signs indeed of the apostle were wrought among you in all endurance, signs, and wonders, and works of power.
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For in what is it that ye have been inferior to the other assemblies, unless that I myself have not been in laziness a charge upon you? Forgive me this injury.
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Behold, this third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be in laziness a charge; for I do not seek yours, but you; for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.
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Now I shall most gladly spend and be utterly spent for your souls, if even in abundantly loving you I should be less loved.
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But be it so. I did not burden you, but being crafty I took you by guile.
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Did I make gain of you by any of those whom I have sent to you?
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I begged Titus, and sent the brother with [him]: did Titus at all make gain of you? have we not walked in the same spirit? [have we] not in the same steps?
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Ye have long been supposing that we excuse ourselves to you: we speak beforeGod in Christ; and all things, beloved, for your building up.
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For I fear lest perhaps coming I find you not such as I wish, and that I be found by you such as ye do not wish: lest [there might be] strifes, jealousies, angers, contentions, evil speakings, whisperings, puffings up, disturbances;
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lest myGod should humble me as to you when I come again, and that I shall grieve over many of those who have sinned before, and have not repented as to the uncleanness and fornication and licentiousness which they have practised.
vul1914 (vul1914) - Vulgate 1914 UTF-8 (sacredbible.org)
1
Si gloriari oportet (non expedit quidem): veniam autem ad visiones, et revelationes Domini.
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Scio hominem in Christo ante annos quattuordecim, sive in corpore nescio, sive extra corpus nescio, Deus scit, raptum huiusmodi usque ad tertium cælum.
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Et scio huiusmodi hominem sive in corpore, sive extra corpus nescio, Deus scit:
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quoniam raptus est in Paradisum: et audivit arcana verba, quæ non licet homini loqui.
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Pro huiusmodi gloriabor: pro me autem nihil gloriabor nisi in infirmitatibus meis.
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Nam, et si voluero gloriari, non ero insipiens: veritatem enim dicam: parco autem, ne quis me existimet supra id, quod videt in me, aut aliquid audit ex me.
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Et ne magnitudo revelationum extollat me, datus est mihi stimulus carnis meæ angelus Satanæ, qui me colaphizet.
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Propter quod ter Dominum rogavi ut discederet a me:
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et dixit mihi: Sufficit tibi gratia mea: nam virtus in infirmitate perficitur. Libenter igitur gloriabor in infirmitatibus meis, ut inhabitet in me virtus Christi.
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Propter quod placeo mihi in infirmitatibus meis, in contumeliis, in necessitatibus, in persecutionibus, in angustiis pro Christo: Cum enim infirmor, tunc potens sum.
11
Factus sum insipiens, vos me coegistis. Ego enim a vobis debui commendari: nihil enim minus fui ab iis, qui sunt supra modum Apostoli: tametsi nihil sum:
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signa tamen Apostolatus mei facta sunt super vos in omni patientia, in signis, et prodigiis, et virtutibus.
13
Quid est enim, quod minus habuistis præ ceteris Ecclesiis, nisi quod ego ipse non gravavi vos? Donate mihi hanc iniuriam.
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Ecce tertio hoc paratus sum venire ad vos: et non ero gravis vobis. Non enim quæro quæ vestra sunt, sed vos. Nec enim debent filii parentibus thesaurizare, sed parentes filiis.
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Ego autem libentissime impendam, et superimpendar ipse pro animabus vestris: licet plus vos diligens, minus diligar.
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Sed esto: ego vos non gravavi: sed cum essem astutus, dolo vos cepi.
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Numquid per aliquem eorum, quod misi ad vos, circumveni vos?
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Rogavi Titum, et misi cum illo fratrem. Numquid Titus vos circumvenit? nonne eodem spiritu ambulavimus? nonne iisdem vestigiis?
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Olim putatis quod excusemus nos apud vos? Coram Deo in Christo loquimur: omnia autem charissimi propter ædificationem vestram.
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Timeo enim ne forte cum venero, non quales volo, inveniam vos: et ego inveniar a vobis, qualem non vultis: ne forte contentiones, æmulationes, animositates, dissensiones, detractiones, susurrationes, inflationes, seditiones sint inter vos:
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ne iterum cum venero, humiliet me Deus apud vos, et lugeam multos ex iis, qui ante peccaverunt, et non egerunt pœnitentiam super immunditia, et fornicatione, et impudicitia, quam gesserunt.
ylt (ylt) - Bible.com YLT98 plain UTF-8
1
To boast, really, is not profitable for me, for I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.
2
I have known a man in Christ, fourteen years ago--whether in the body I have not known, whether out of the body I have not known, God hath known--such an one being caught away unto the third heaven;
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and I have known such a man--whether in the body, whether out of the body, I have not known, God hath known, --
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that he was caught away to the paradise, and heard unutterable sayings, that it is not possible for man to speak.
5
Of such an one I will boast, and of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities,
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for if I may wish to boast, I shall not be a fool, for truth I will say; but I forebear, lest any one in regard to me may think anything above what he doth see me, or doth hear anything of me;
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and that by the exceeding greatness of the revelations I might not be exalted overmuch, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of the Adversary, that he might buffet me, that I might not be exalted overmuch.
8
Concerning this thing thrice the Lord did I call upon, that it might depart from me,
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and He said to me, `Sufficient for thee is My grace, for My power in infirmity is perfected;' most gladly, therefore, will I rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of the Christ may rest on me:
10
wherefore I am well pleased in infirmities, in damages, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses--for Christ; for whenever I am infirm, then I am powerful;
11
I have become a fool--boasting; ye--ye did compel me; for I ought by you to have been commended, for in nothing was I behind the very chiefest apostles--even if I am nothing.
12
The signs, indeed, of the apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds,
13
for what is there in which ye were inferior to the rest of the assemblies, except that I myself was not a burden to you? forgive me this injustice!
14
Lo, a third time I am ready to come unto you, and I will not be a burden to you, for I seek not yours, but you, for the children ought not for the parents to lay up, but the parents for the children,
15
and I most gladly will spend and be entirely spent for your souls, even if, more abundantly loving you, less I am loved.
16
And be it <FI>so<Fi> , I--I did not burden you, but being crafty, with guile I did take you;
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any one of those whom I have sent unto you--by him did I take advantage of you?
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I entreated Titus, and did send with <FI>him<Fi> the brother; did Titus take advantage of you? in the same spirit did we not walk? --did we not in the same steps?
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Again, think ye that to you we are making defence? before God in Christ do we speak; and the all things, beloved, <FI>are<Fi> for your up-building,
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for I fear lest, having come, not such as I wish I may find you, and I--I may be found by you such as ye do not wish, lest there be strifes, envyings, wraths, revelries, evil-speakings, whisperings, puffings up, insurrections,
21
lest again having come, my God may humble me in regard to you, and I may bewail many of those having sinned before, and not having reformed concerning the uncleanness, and whoredom, and lasciviousness, that they did practise.
Explanations by Age Level
Explain Like I'm 5
A long, long time ago, there was nothing at all - no earth, no sky, no animals, no people. It was all dark and empty. But God was there! God is so powerful that He can make anything just by speaking. So God said "Let there be light!" and BOOM! There was light everywhere! God saw that the light was beautiful and good. He called the light "day" and the darkness "night." This was the very first day when God started making our wonderful world!
Explain Like I'm 10
Before anything existed - no planets, stars, or life - God decided to create the universe. The earth started out as a dark, empty place covered with water. But God's Spirit was there, ready to bring order and beauty to everything. When God spoke and said "Let there be light," light immediately appeared because God's words have incredible power. God looked at the light and was pleased with what He had made. He organized time by separating light (day) from darkness (night), creating the first 24-hour period. This shows us that God is organized and purposeful in everything He does.
Explain Like I'm 15
Genesis 1:1-5 establishes fundamental theological truths about God and creation. The Hebrew word "bara" (created) indicates creation from nothing (ex nihilo), demonstrating God's absolute sovereignty and power. The phrase "without form and void" (tohu wa-bohu) describes a state of chaos that God transforms into order. The Spirit of God "hovering" or "brooding" over the waters suggests active, caring involvement in creation. The creation of light before the sun (created on day 4) indicates that God Himself is the ultimate source of light and energy. The establishment of day and night creates the framework of time, showing that God operates within orderly patterns while transcending them. This passage refutes both atheistic materialism and pantheism, establishing that God is both transcendent (separate from creation) and immanent (actively involved in it).