| Christian Standard Bible | King James Bible |
| 1Boasting is necessary. It is not profitable, but I will move on to visions and revelations of the Lord. | 1It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. |
| 2I know a man in Christ who was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether he was in the body or out of the body, I don't know; God knows. | 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. |
| 3I know that this man--whether in the body or out of the body I don't know; God knows-- | 3And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) |
| 4was caught up into paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a human being is not allowed to speak. | 4How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. |
| 5I will boast about this person, but not about myself, except of my weaknesses. | 5Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. |
| 6For if I want to boast, I wouldn't be a fool, because I would be telling the truth. But I will spare you, so that no one can credit me with something beyond what he sees in me or hears from me, | 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. |
| 7especially because of the extraordinary revelations. Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to torment me so that I would not exalt myself. | 7And 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. |
| 8Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times that it would leave me. | 8For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. |
| 9But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness." Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may reside in me. | 9And 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. |
| 10So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and in difficulties, for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. | 10Therefore 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. |
| 11I have been a fool; you forced it on me. You ought to have commended me, since I am not in any way inferior to those "super-apostles," even though I am nothing. | 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. |
| 12The signs of an apostle were performed with unfailing endurance among you, including signs and wonders and miracles. | 12Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds. |
| 13So in what way are you worse off than the other churches, except that I personally did not burden you? Forgive me for this wrong! | 13For 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. |
| 14Look, I am ready to come to you this third time. I will not burden you, since I am not seeking what is yours, but you. For children ought not save up for their parents, but parents for their children. | 14Behold, 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. |
| 15I will most gladly spend and be spent for you. If I love you more, am I to be loved less? | 15And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved. |
| 16Now granted, I did not burden you; yet sly as I am, I took you in by deceit! | 16But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile. |
| 17Did I take advantage of you by any of those I sent you? | 17Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you? |
| 18I urged Titus to go, and I sent the brother with him. Titus didn't take advantage of you, did he? Didn't we walk in the same spirit and in the same footsteps? | 18I 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? |
| 19Have you been thinking all along that we were defending ourselves to you? No, in the sight of God we are speaking in Christ, and everything, dear friends, is for building you up. | 19Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying. |
| 20For I fear that perhaps when I come I will not find you to be what I want, and you may not find me to be what you want. Perhaps there will be quarreling, jealousy, angry outbursts, selfish ambitions, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder. | 20For 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: |
| 21I fear that when I come my God will again humiliate me in your presence, and I will grieve for many who sinned before and have not repented of the moral impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality they practiced. | 21And 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. |
| The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. | King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com. |
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