| New International Version | NET Bible |
| 1I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. | 1It is necessary to go on boasting. Though it is not profitable, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. |
| 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 the body I do not know--God knows. | 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. |
| 3And I know that this man--whether in the body or apart from the body 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) |
| 4was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell. | 4was caught up into paradise and heard things too sacred to be put into words, things that a person is not permitted to speak. |
| 5I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses. | 5On behalf of such an individual I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except about my weaknesses. |
| 6Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, | 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, |
| 7or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment 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. |
| 8Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. | 8I asked the Lord three times about this, that it would depart from me. |
| 9But 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 Christ's power may rest on 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. |
| 10That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. | 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. |
| 11I have made a fool of myself, but you drove me to it. I ought to have been commended by you, for I am not in the least inferior to the "super-apostles," even though I am nothing. | 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. |
| 12I persevered in demonstrating among you the marks of a true apostle, including signs, wonders and miracles. | 12Indeed, the signs of an apostle were performed among you with great perseverance by signs and wonders and powerful deeds. |
| 13How were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was never a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong! | 13For how were you treated worse than the other churches, except that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this injustice! |
| 14Now I am ready to visit you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not your possessions but you. After all, children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. | 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. |
| 15So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well. If I love you more, will you love me less? | 15Now I will most gladly spend and be spent for your lives! If I love you more, am I to be loved less? |
| 16Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you. Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery! | 16But be that as it may, I have not burdened you. Yet because I was a crafty person, I took you in by deceit! |
| 17Did I exploit you through any of the men I sent to you? | 17I have not taken advantage of you through anyone I have sent to you, have I? |
| 18I urged Titus to go to you and I sent our brother with him. Titus did not exploit you, did he? Did we not walk in the same footsteps by the same Spirit? | 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? |
| 19Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? We have been speaking in the sight of God as those in Christ; and everything we do, dear friends, is for your strengthening. | 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. |
| 20For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder. | 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. |
| 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 the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery in which they have indulged. | 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. |
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