Paul’s Revelation

1It profiteth me nothinge (no doute) to boaste. Neuertheles I wil come to ye visions and reuelacions off the LORDE. 2I knowe a man in Christ aboue fourtene yeares a goo (whether he was in ye body, I can not tell: or whether he was out of the body, I can not tell, God knoweth.) the same was taken vp in to the thirde heauen: 3and I knowe the same man (whether he was in ye body or out of the body, I can not tell, God knoweth) 4how that he was take vp in to Paradise, and herde wordes not to be spoken, which no man can vtter.

Paul’s Thorn and God’s Grace

5Here of will I boast, but of my selfe wil I make no boast, excepte it be of myne infirmyties. 6And though I wolde boast my selfe, I dyd not foolishly, for I wolde saye the trueth. But I refrayne my selfe, lest eny ma shulde thinke of me aboue yt he seyth in me, or heareth of me.

7And lest I shulde exalte my selfe out of measure because of the hye reuelacions, there is a warnynge geuen vnto my flesh, euen ye messaunger of Satan, to buffet me, that I shulde not exalte my selfe out off measure: 8for ye which I besoughte the LORDE thryse, that it mighte departe fro me. 9And he sayde vnto me: My grace is sufficiet for the. For my strength is made perfecte thorow weaknes. Very glad therfore wil I reioyse in my weaknesses, that the strength of Christ maye dwell in me. 10Therfore am I contente in infirmities, in rebukes, in necessities, in persecucions, in anguysshes for Christes sake: for wha I am weake, the am I stroge.

Paul’s Concern for the Corinthians

11I am become a fole i boastinge my selfe: Ye haue copelled me. For I oughte to be comended of you, in so moch as I am in nothinge inferior to ye hye Apostles. Though I be nothinge, 12yet are ye tokens of an Apostle wrought amoge you, with all paciece, with signes, & with woders & with mightie dedes. 13For what is it, wherin ye are inferiours to the other congregacions? excepte it be yt I haue not bene greuous vnto you.Forgeue me this wroge.

14Beholde, I am ready the thirde tyme to come vnto you, and wyl not be chargeable vnto you. For I seke not youres, but you. For ye childre ought not to gather treasure for the elders, but the elders for the children. 15I wil very gladly bestowe, and wyl be bestowed for youre soules: though ye more I loue you, the lesse am I loued agayne. 16But let it be so that I greued you not, neuertheles for so moch as I was craftye, I toke you wt gyle. 17Haue I defrauded you by eny of the, who I sent vnto you? 18I desyred Titus, & with him I sent a brother: dyd Titus defraude you? Haue we not walked in one sprete? Wete we not in like fotesteppes?

19Agayne, thynke ye yt we excuse oure selues? We speake in Christ in the sighte off God. But all this (dearly beloued) is done for yor edifyenge. 20For I feare, lest whan I come, I shal not fynde you soch as I wolde: and lest ye shal fynde me soch as ye wolde not: lest there be amonge you, debates, envyenges, wrathes, stryuynges, bacbytinges, whysperinges, swellinges, vproures: 21lest whan I come agayne, God bringe me lowe amoge you & lest I be constrayned to bewayle many of the yt haue synned before, & haue not repented ouer ye vnclennesse and whordome, and wantonnes, which they haue comytted.