2 Corinthians 12 I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to gain, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord.

VIN⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to gain, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. ² I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. ³ And I know that this manwhether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows ⁴ was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, which a man is not permitted to tell. ⁵ I will boast about such a man, but I will not boast about myself, except in my weaknesses. ⁶ Even if I wanted to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me, ⁷ And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me. ⁸ Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. ⁹ But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me. ¹⁰ That is why, for Christ's sake, I am content in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties; for when I am weak, then I am strong. ¹¹ I have been a fool! You forced me to it, for I ought to have been commended by you. For I was not in the least inferior to these super-apostles, even though I am nothing. ¹² The true marks of an apostle—signs, wonders, and miracles—were performed among you with great perseverance. ¹³ In what way were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong! ¹⁴ See, I am ready to come to you a third time, and I will not be a burden, because I am not seeking your possessions, but you yourselves. For children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. ¹⁵ And for the sake of your souls, I will most gladly spend my money and myself. If I love you more, will you love me less? ¹⁶ Be that as it may, I was not a burden to you; but crafty as I am, I caught you by trickery. ¹⁷ Did I make gain of you through any of those whom I sent to you? ¹⁸ I urged Titus to visit you, and I sent our brother with him. Did Titus exploit you in any way? Did we not walk in the same spirit and follow in the same footsteps? ¹⁹ Have you been thinking all this time that we have been defending ourselves before you? In the sight of God we speak in Christ; and all things, beloved, are for your edifying. ²⁰ For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you what I wish you to be, and you may not find me what you wish me to be; I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder. ²¹ I am afraid that when I come again, my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of their acts of impurity, sexual immorality, and debauchery.