| NET Bible | Berean Study Bible |
| 1It is necessary to go on boasting. Though it is not profitable, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. | 1I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to gain, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. |
| 2I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago (whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows) was caught up to the third heaven. | 2I 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 it I do not know, but God knows. |
| 3And I know that this man (whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows) | 3And I know that this man—whether in the body or out of it I do not know, but God knows— |
| 4was caught up into paradise and heard things too sacred to be put into words, things that a person is not permitted to speak. | 4was caught up to Paradise. The things he heard were too sacred for words, things that man is not permitted to tell. |
| 5On behalf of such an individual I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except about my weaknesses. | 5I will boast about such a man, but I will not boast about myself, except in my weaknesses. |
| 6For even if I wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I would be telling the truth, but I refrain from this so that no one may regard me beyond what he sees in me or what he hears from me, | 6Even 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, |
| 7even because of the extraordinary character of the revelations. Therefore, so that I would not become arrogant, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to trouble me--so that I would not become arrogant. | 7or because of these surpassingly great revelations. So to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. |
| 8I asked the Lord three times about this, that it would depart from me. | 8Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. |
| 9But he said to me, "My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in me. | 9But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me. |
| 10Therefore I am content with weaknesses, with insults, with troubles, with persecutions and difficulties for the sake of Christ, for whenever I am weak, then I am strong. | 10That is why, for the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. |
| 11I have become a fool. You yourselves forced me to do it, for I should have been commended by you. For I lack nothing in comparison to those "super-apostles," even though I am nothing. | 11I have become a fool, but you drove me to it. In fact, you should have commended me, since I am in no way inferior to those “super-apostles,” even though I am nothing. |
| 12Indeed, the signs of an apostle were performed among you with great perseverance by signs and wonders and powerful deeds. | 12The true marks of an apostle—signs, wonders, and miracles—were performed among you with great perseverance. |
| 13For how were you treated worse than the other churches, except that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this injustice! | 13In what way were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong! |
| 14Look, for the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you, because I do not want your possessions, but you. For children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. | 14See, 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. For children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. |
| 15Now I will most gladly spend and be spent for your lives! If I love you more, am I to be loved less? | 15And 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? |
| 16But be that as it may, I have not burdened you. Yet because I was a crafty person, I took you in by deceit! | 16Be that as it may, I was not a burden to you; but crafty as I am, I caught you by trickery. |
| 17I have not taken advantage of you through anyone I have sent to you, have I? | 17Did I exploit you by anyone I sent you? |
| 18I urged Titus to visit you and I sent our brother along with him. Titus did not take advantage of you, did he? Did we not conduct ourselves in the same spirit? Did we not behave in the same way? | 18I 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? |
| 19Have you been thinking all this time that we have been defending ourselves to you? We are speaking in Christ before God, and everything we do, dear friends, is to build you up. | 19Have you been thinking all along that we were making a defense to you? We speak before God in Christ, and all of this, beloved, is to build you up. |
| 20For I am afraid that somehow when I come I will not find you what I wish, and you will find me not what you wish. I am afraid that somehow there may be quarreling, jealousy, intense anger, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder. | 20For I am afraid that when I come, I may not find you as I wish, and you may not find me as you wish. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, rage, rivalry, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder. |
| 21I am afraid that when I come again, my God may humiliate me before you, and I will grieve for many of those who previously sinned and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and licentiousness that they have practiced. | 21I 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. |
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