| International Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1I must boast, although it does not do any good. Let's talk about visions and revelations from the Lord. | 1It is necessary to go on boasting. Though it is not profitable, I will go on to visions and revelations from 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 fourteen years ago (whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows) was caught up to the third heaven. |
| 3I know that this man—whether in his body or outside of his body, I do not know, but God knows— | 3And I know that this man (whether in the body or apart from the body I do not 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 and heard things too sacred to be put into words, things that a person is not permitted to speak. |
| 5I will boast about this man, but as for myself I will boast only about my weaknesses. | 5On behalf of such an individual I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except about 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 even if I wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I would be telling the truth, but I refrain from this so that no one may regard me beyond what he sees in me or what he 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. | 7even because of the extraordinary character of the revelations. Therefore, so that I would not become arrogant, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to trouble me--so that I would not become arrogant. |
| 8I pleaded with the Lord three times to take it away from me, | 8I asked the Lord three times about this, that it would depart 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 enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ 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. | 10Therefore I am content with weaknesses, with insults, with troubles, with persecutions and difficulties for the sake of Christ, for whenever 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 yourselves forced me to do it, for I should have been commended by you. For I lack nothing in comparison to those "super-apostles," even though I am nothing. |
| 12The signs of an apostle were performed among you with utmost patience—signs, wonders, and powerful actions. | 12Indeed, the signs of an apostle were performed among you with great perseverance by signs and wonders and powerful deeds. |
| 13How were you treated worse than the other churches, except that I did not bother you for help? Forgive me for this wrong! | 13For how were you treated worse than the other churches, except that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this injustice! |
| 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. | 14Look, for the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you, because I do not want your possessions, but you. For children should not have 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? | 15Now I will most gladly spend and be spent for your lives! 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? | 16But be that as it may, I have not burdened you. Yet because I was a crafty person, I took you in by deceit! |
| 17I did not take advantage of you through any of the men I sent you, did I? | 17I have not taken advantage of you through anyone I have sent to you, have I? |
| 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 visit you and I sent our brother along with him. Titus did not take advantage of you, did he? Did we not conduct ourselves in the same spirit? Did we not behave in the same way? |
| 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. | 19Have you been thinking all this time that we have been defending ourselves to you? We are speaking in Christ before God, and everything we do, dear friends, is to build 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 am afraid that somehow when I come I will not find you what I wish, and you will find me not what you wish. I am afraid that somehow there may be quarreling, jealousy, intense anger, selfish ambition, 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 am afraid that when I come again, my God may humiliate me before you, and I will grieve for many of those who previously sinned and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and licentiousness that they have practiced. |
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