| New King James Version | New International 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. Although there is nothing to be gained, 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 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 it was 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--whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but 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 to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell. |
| 5Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities. | 5I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about 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. | 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, |
| 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. | 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. |
| 8Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. | 8Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from 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 about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on 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. | 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. |
| 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 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. |
| 12Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds. | 12I persevered in demonstrating among you the marks of a true apostle, including signs, 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! | 13How were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was never 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. | 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. |
| 15And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved. | 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? |
| 16But be that as it may, I did not burden you. Nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you by cunning! | 16Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you. Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery! |
| 17Did I take advantage of you by any of those whom I sent to you? | 17Did I exploit you through any of the men 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 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? |
| 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? We have been speaking in the sight of God as those in Christ; and everything we do, dear friends, is for your strengthening. |
| 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 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. |
| 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 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. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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