| New King James Version | English Standard Version |
| 1It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord: | 1I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. |
| 2I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one 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 in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. |
| 3And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— | 3And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— |
| 4how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. | 4and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. |
| 5Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities. | 5On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses— |
| 6For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me. | 6though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. |
| 7And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. | 7So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. |
| 8Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. | 8Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. |
| 9And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon 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 of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. |
| 10Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. | 10For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. |
| 11I have become a fool in boasting; you have compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you; for in nothing was I behind the most eminent apostles, though I am nothing. | 11I have been a fool! You forced me to it, for I ought to have been commended by you. For I was not at all inferior to these super-apostles, even though I am nothing. |
| 12Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds. | 12The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works. |
| 13For what is it in which you were inferior to other churches, except that I myself was not burdensome to you? Forgive me this wrong! | 13For in what were you less favored than the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong! |
| 14Now for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be burdensome to you; for I do not seek yours, but you. For the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. | 14Here for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be a burden, for I seek not what is yours but you. For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. |
| 15And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved. | 15I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less? |
| 16But be that as it may, I did not burden you. Nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you by cunning! | 16But granting that I myself did not burden you, I was crafty, you say, and got the better of you by deceit. |
| 17Did I take advantage of you by any of those whom I sent to you? | 17Did I take advantage of you through any of those whom I sent to you? |
| 18I urged Titus, and sent our brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same steps? | 18I urged Titus to go, and sent the brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not act in the same spirit? Did we not take the same steps? |
| 19Again, do you think that we excuse ourselves to you? We speak before God in Christ. But we do all things, beloved, for your edification. | 19Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? It is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ, and all for your upbuilding, beloved. |
| 20For I fear lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish, and that I shall be found by you such as you do not wish; lest there be contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, backbitings, whisperings, conceits, tumults; | 20For I fear that perhaps when I come I may find you not as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish—that perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder. |
| 21lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and I shall mourn for many who have sinned before and have not repented of the uncleanness, fornication, and lewdness which they have practiced. | 21I fear that when I come again my God may humble me before you, and I may have to mourn over many of those who sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality that they have practiced. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. |
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