2 Corinthians 12
1I must go on boasting. Though it is not profitable, I will move on to visions and revelations of the Lord.
2I know a man in Christ who 14 years ago was taken to the third heaven (whether in the body, I do not know, or whether out of the body, I do not know, God knows).
3And I know such a man (whether in the body, or apart from the body, I do not know, God knows),
4that he was taken into Paradise and heard unspeakable words, which it is not permitted for a person to speak.
5On behalf of such a person I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in my weaknesses.
6For if I want to boast, I would not be senseless, for I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one can credit me with more than what he sees in me, or hears from me,
7especially because of the exceeding greatness of the revelations. Therefore, so I would not be overly exulted, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of the Adversary, to beat up on me, so I would not be overly exulted.
8Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this so that it would depart from me.
9And he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power reaches its fulfillment in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ will rest on me.
10Therefore, on behalf of Christ, I am content in weaknesses, in being mistreated, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties; for when I am weak, then I am powerful.
11I have become senseless! You yourselves forced me to it. For you had a moral obligation to commend me, for in no way was I inferior to these “super-apostles,” even though I am nothing.
12Indeed, the signs of a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance, with signs and wonders and miracles.
13For in what way were you treated as inferior to the rest of the churches, unless it was that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong.
14Look here, this is the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you, for I am not seeking what is yours, but you. For the children are not obligated to save up for the parents, but the parents for the children.
15And I will most gladly spend and be entirely spent for your souls. If I love you even more, am I to be loved less?
16But granting that I myself did not burden you, nevertheless, (you say) being crafty I took you in by deceit.
17Did I take advantage of you by any of those people whom I sent to you?
18I urged Titus to go, and I sent the brother with him. Titus did not take advantage of you, did he? Didn’t we walk in the same spirit? Didn’t we walk in the same steps?
19Have you been thinking all this time that we are defending ourselves to you? It is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in connection with Christ, and everything we do, beloved, is for building you up.
20For I am afraid that perhaps when I come, I will not find you as I want to find you, and will myself be found by you as you do not want to find me; that perhaps there will be strife, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance, disorder.
21I am afraid that when I come again my God may humble me before you, and I may have to mourn over many of those who have sinned in the past and have not repented of the impurity and sexual immorality and unrestrained behavior that they practiced.