aBoasting is necessary
, though
it is not profitable
; but I will go
on to visions
and brevelations
1of the Lord
.
I know a man
ain Christ
who fourteen
years
ago
--whether
in the body
I do not know
, or
out of the body
I do not know
, bGod
knows
--such
a man
was ccaught
up to the dthird
heaven
.
And I know how
such
a man
--whether
in the body
or
apart
from the body
I do not know
, aGod
knows
--
was acaught up into bParadise
and heard
inexpressible
words
, which
a man
is not permitted
to speak
.
aOn behalf of such
a man
I will boast
; but on my own
behalf
I will not boast
, except
in regard to my bweaknesses
.
For if I do wish
to boast
I will not be afoolish
, bfor 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.
Because of the surpassing greatness
of the arevelations
, for this
reason
, to keep
me from exalting
myself, there was given
me a bthorn
in the flesh
, a cmessenger
of Satan
to 1torment
me--to keep
me from exalting
myself!
Concerning this
I implored
the Lord
athree
times
that it might leave
me.
And He has said to me, "My grace
is sufficient
for you, for apower
is perfected
in weakness
." Most
gladly
, therefore
, I will rather
bboast
1about
my weaknesses
, so
that the power
of Christ
may dwell
in me.
Therefore aI am
well
content
with weaknesses
, with 1insults
, with bdistresses
, with cpersecutions
, with bdifficulties
, dfor Christ's
sake
; for ewhen
I am
weak
, then
I am
strong
.
I have become afoolish
; you yourselves
compelled
me. Actually
I should
have been commended
by you, for bin no
respect
was I inferior
to the 1most
eminent
apostles
, even
though
cI am
a nobody
.
The 1 asigns 2of a true apostle
were performed
among
you with all
perseverance
, by 1signs
and wonders
and 3miracles
.
For in what respect were you treated
as inferior
to the rest
of the churches
, except
that aI myself
did not become a burden
to you? Forgive
me bthis
wrong
!
Here afor this
third
time
I am
ready
to come
to you, and I bwill not be a burden
to you; for I cdo not seek
what is yours
, but dyou; for echildren
are not responsible
to save
up for their parents
, but fparents
for their children
.
I will amost gladly
spend
and be expended
for your souls
. If
bI love
you more
, am I to be loved
less
?
But be that as it may, I adid not burden you myself
; nevertheless
, crafty
fellow that I am, I btook
you in by deceit
.
aCertainly I have not taken advantage
of you through
any
of those whom
I have sent
to you, have I?
I aurged bTitus
to go, and I sent
cthe brother
with him. Titus
did not take
any
advantage
of you, did he? Did we not 1conduct
ourselves
2in the same
dspirit
and walk ein the same
steps
?
All this
time
1you have been thinking
that we are defending
ourselves to you. Actually, ait is in the sight
of God
that we have been speaking
in Christ
; and ball
for your upbuilding
, cbeloved
.
For I am afraid
that perhaps
awhen 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 bstrife
, jealousy
, cangry
tempers
, ddisputes
, eslanders
, fgossip
, garrogance
, hdisturbances
;
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 asinned
in the past
and not repented
of the bimpurity
, 1immorality
and sensuality
which
they have practiced
.