2Cor 12 | NASB2020 | STEP | Boasting is necessary , though it is not beneficial ; but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord .

2 Corinthians 12

Paul’s Vision

1 ^aBoasting is necessary, though it is not beneficial; but I will go on to visions and ^brevelations ^{▼▼Or from}of the Lord. 2 I know a man ^din Christ, who fourteen years ago --whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, ^eGod knows --such a man was ^fcaught up to the ^gthird heaven. 3 And I know how such a man --whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, ^hGod knows-- 4 was ⁱcaught up into ^jParadise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak. 5 ^kIn behalf of such a man I will boast; but in my own behalf I will not boast, except regarding my ^lweaknesses. 6 For if I do wish to boast I will not be ^mfoolish, ⁿfor 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.

A Thorn in the Flesh

7 Because of the extraordinary greatness of the ^orevelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given to me a ^pthorn in the flesh, a ^qmessenger of Satan to ^{▼▼Lit beat}torment me--to keep me from exalting myself! 8 Concerning this I pleaded with the Lord ^sthree times that it might leave me. 9 And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for ^tpower is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather ^uboast ^{▼▼Lit in}about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 10 Therefore ^wI delight in weaknesses, in ^{▼▼Or mistreatment}insults, in ^ydistresses, in ^zpersecutions, in ^aadifficulties, ^abin behalf of Christ; for ^acwhen I am weak, then I am strong.

11 I have become ^adfoolish; you yourselves compelled me. Actually I should have been commended by you, since I was ^aein no respect inferior to the ^{▼▼Or super-apostles}most eminent apostles, even though ^agI am a nobody. 12 The ^ahdistinguishing marks ^{▼▼Lit of the apostle}of a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance, by ^{▼▼Or confirming miracles}signs, wonders, and ^{▼▼Or works of power}miracles. 13 For in what respect were you treated as inferior to the rest of the churches, except that ^alI myself did not become a burden to you? Forgive me ^amthis wrong!

14 Here ^anfor this third time I am ready to come to you, and I ^aowill not be a burden to you; for I ^apdo not seek what is yours, but ^aqyou; for ^archildren are not responsible to save up for their parents, but ^asparents for their children. 15 I will ^atmost gladly spend and be expended for your souls. If ^auI love you more, am I to be loved less? 16 But be that as it may, I ^avdid not burden you myself; nevertheless, devious person that I am, I ^awtook you in by deceit. 17 ^axCertainly I have not taken advantage of you through any of those whom I have sent to you, have I? 18 I ^ayurged ^azTitus to go, and I sent ^bathe brother with him. Titus did not take any advantage of you, did he? Did we not ^{▼▼Lit walk}conduct ourselves ^{▼▼Or by the same Spirit}in the same ^bdspirit and walk ^bein the same steps?

19 All this time ^{▼▼Or have you been thinking...?}you have been thinking that we are defending ourselves to you. Actually, ^bgit is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ; and ^bhall for building you up, ^bibeloved. 20 For I am afraid that perhaps ^bjwhen 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 ^bkstrife, jealousy, ^blangry tempers, ^bmselfishness, ^bnslanders, ^bogossip, ^bparrogance, ^bqdisturbances; 21 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 ^brsinned in the past and not repented of the ^bsimpurity, sexual immorality, and indecent behavior which they have practiced.