| International Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1I must boast, although it does not do any good. Let's talk about visions and revelations from the Lord. | 1Boasting is necessary. It is not profitable, but I will move on to visions and revelations of the Lord. |
| 2I know a man who belongs to the Messiah. Fourteen years ago—whether in his body or outside of his body, I do not know, but God knows—that man was snatched away to the third heaven. | 2I know a man in Christ who was caught up into the third heaven 14 years ago. Whether he was in the body or out of the body, I don't know, God knows. |
| 3I know that this man—whether in his body or outside of his body, I do not know, but God knows— | 3I know that this man--whether in the body or out of the body I don't know, God knows-- |
| 4was snatched away to Paradise and heard things that cannot be expressed in words, things that no human being has a right even to mention. | 4was caught up into paradise. He heard inexpressible words, which a man is not allowed to speak. |
| 5I will boast about this man, but as for myself I will boast only about my weaknesses. | 5I will boast about this person, but not about myself, except of my weaknesses. |
| 6However, if I did want to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be telling the truth. But I am not going to do it in order to keep anyone from thinking more of me than what he sees and hears about me. | 6For if I want to boast, I will not be a fool, because I will 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, |
| 7To keep me from becoming conceited because of the exceptional nature of these revelations, a thorn was given to me and placed in my body. It was Satan's messenger to keep on tormenting me so that I would not become conceited. | 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 I would not exalt myself. |
| 8I pleaded with the Lord three times to take it away from me, | 8Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times to take it away from me. |
| 9but he has told me, "My grace is all you need, because my power is perfected in weakness." Therefore, I will most happily boast about my weaknesses, so that the Messiah's power may rest on me. | 9But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for 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. |
| 10That is why I take such pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and difficulties for the Messiah's sake, for when I am weak, then I am strong. | 10So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, catastrophes, persecutions, and in pressures, because of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. |
| 11I have become a fool. You forced me to be one. Really, I should have been commended by you, for I am not in any way inferior to your "super-apostles," even if I am nothing. | 11I have become a fool; you forced it on me. I should have been endorsed by you, since I am not in any way inferior to the "super-apostles," even though I am nothing. |
| 12The signs of an apostle were performed among you with utmost patience—signs, wonders, and powerful actions. | 12The signs of an apostle were performed with great endurance among you--not only signs but also wonders and miracles. |
| 13How were you treated worse than the other churches, except that I did not bother you for help? Forgive me for this wrong! | 13So in what way were you treated worse than the other churches, except that I personally did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong! |
| 14Now I'm ready to visit you for a third time, and I will not bother you for help. I do not want your things, but rather you yourselves. Children should not have to support their parents, but parents their children. | 14Now I am ready to come to you this third time. I will not burden you, for I am not seeking what is yours, but you. For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. |
| 15I will be very glad to spend my money and myself for you. Do you love me less because I love you so much? | 15I will most gladly spend and be spent for you. If I love you more, am I to be loved less? |
| 16Granting that I have not been a burden to you, was I a clever schemer who trapped you by some trick? | 16Now granted, I have not burdened you; yet sly as I am, I took you in by deceit! |
| 17I did not take advantage of you through any of the men I sent you, did I? | 17Did I take advantage of you by anyone I sent you? |
| 18I encouraged Titus to visit you, and I sent along with him the brother you know so well. Titus didn't take advantage of you, did he? We conducted ourselves with the same spirit, didn't we? We took the very same steps, didn't we? | 18I urged Titus to come, and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Didn't we walk in the same spirit and in the same footsteps? |
| 19Have you been thinking all along that we are trying to defend ourselves before you? We are speaking before God in the authority of the Messiah, and everything, dear friends, is meant to build you up. | 19You have thought 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. |
| 20I am afraid that I may come and somehow find you not as I want to find you, and that you may find me not as you want to find me. Perhaps there will be quarreling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorderly conduct. | 20For I fear that perhaps when I come I will not find you to be what I want, and I may not be found by you to be what you want; there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder. |
| 21I am afraid that when I come my God may again humble me before you and that I may have to grieve over many who formerly lived in sin and have not repented of their impurity, sexual immorality, and promiscuity that they once practiced. | 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 promiscuity they practiced. |
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