| New King James Version | New American Standard Bible 1995 |
| 1It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord: | 1Boasting is necessary, though it is not profitable; but 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-- whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows-- such a man was caught up to the third heaven. |
| 3And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— | 3And I know how such a man-- whether in the body or apart from 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. | 4was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak. |
| 5Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities. | 5On behalf of such a man I will boast; but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in regard to 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. | 6For if I do wish to boast I will not be foolish, for 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. |
| 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. | 7Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me-- to keep me from exalting myself! |
| 8Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. | 8Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might 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. | 9And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in 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. | 10Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; 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 become foolish; you yourselves compelled me. Actually I should have been commended by you, for in no respect was I inferior to the most eminent apostles, even though I am a nobody. |
| 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 all perseverance, by signs and wonders and miracles. |
| 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 respect were you treated as inferior to the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not become a burden to 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 this third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you; for I do not seek what is yours, but you; for children are not responsible 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 expended 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 be that as it may, I did not burden you myself; nevertheless, crafty fellow that I am, I took you in by deceit. |
| 17Did I take advantage of you by any of those whom I sent to you? | 17Certainly I have not taken advantage of you through any of those whom I have sent to you, have I? |
| 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 I sent the brother with him. Titus did not take any advantage of you, did he? Did we not conduct ourselves in the same spirit and walk in 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. | 19All this time you have been thinking that we are defending ourselves to you. Actually, 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 am afraid that perhaps when 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 strife, jealousy, angry tempers, disputes, slanders, gossip, arrogance, disturbances; |
| 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 am afraid that when I come again my God may humiliate me before you, and I may mourn over many of those who have sinned in the past and not repented of the impurity, immorality and sensuality which they have practiced. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org |
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