1 It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.
He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 5:21
Trivia: According to 2 Corinthians 2, how can you tell if you are saved?
12:1-4
1 It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.
But I shouldn't glorify myself.
Instead, I'll speak of visions and revelations of the Lord.
2I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.
I knew a man more than 14 years ago,
(either in the body or out of the body, I can't tell. God knows.) [1]
who was caught up in the third heaven.
3And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)
And I knew a man,
(in the body or out of the body, I can't tell. God knows)
4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
who was caught up in paradise and heard unspeakable words,
words which are against the law to utter.
12:5-10
5Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.
I'll give guys like that the glory.
I won't give glory to myself, except for my infirmities.
6For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.
I'd like to glory, but I won't be a fool.
7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
To keep me from being exalted by revelations,
God gave me a thorn in the flesh, [2]
the messenger of Satan, to constrain me.
8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
I asked the Lord three times to remove it.
9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
He said,
My grace is enough for you.
My strength is perfect in weakness.
12:11-13
11I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing.
I'm a fool for glorifying myself, but you made me do it.
You should have praised me,
since I'm at least as good as those super apostles.
12 Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.
I did many signs, wonders, and mighty deeds among you.
13 For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong.
And I didn't ask you to pay me for it.
12:14-21
14 Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.
I'm ready to come visit you a third time.
I promise not to be a burden to you.
15 And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.
I'll gladly spend for you.
Though the more I love you, the less you love me.
16 But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile.
17 Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you?
18 I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus make a gain of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps?
19 Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying.
Anyway, I didn't burden you.
But I tricked you with deceit.
20 For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:
I worry, though, that when I come, I'll find debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, and tumults.
21 And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.
You'll embarrass me before God
with your fornication and indecent behavior.
There were these guys that Paul once knew, but he just can't remember whether it was in or out of the body. It was sort of an out of body experience. Anyway, one of these guys was way up in the third heaven and the other guy was in paradise. He heard stuff, too, but it's illegal to talk about it.
