| King James Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. | 1I must boast, although it does not do any good. Let's talk about visions and revelations from 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. | 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. |
| 3And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) | 3I know that this man—whether in his body or outside of his body, I do not know, but God knows— |
| 4How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. | 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. |
| 5Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. | 5I will boast about this man, but as for myself I will boast only about my weaknesses. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 8For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. | 8I pleaded with the Lord three times to take it away from 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 12Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds. | 12The signs of an apostle were performed among you with utmost patience—signs, wonders, and powerful actions. |
| 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. | 13How were you treated worse than the other churches, except that I did not bother you for help? Forgive me for this wrong! |
| 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. | 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. |
| 15And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved. | 15I will be very glad to spend my money and myself for you. Do you love me less because I love you so much? |
| 16But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile. | 16Granting that I have not been a burden to you, was I a clever schemer who trapped you by some trick? |
| 17Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you? | 17I did not take advantage of you through any of the men I sent you, did I? |
| 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? | 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? |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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: | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com. | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
|
