| New American Standard Bible 1995 | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Boasting is necessary, though it is not profitable; but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. | 1I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to gain, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. |
| 2I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago-- whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows-- such a man was caught up to the third heaven. | 2I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of it I do not know, but God knows. |
| 3And I know how such a man-- whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows-- | 3And I know that this man—whether in the body or out of it I do not know, but God knows— |
| 4was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak. | 4was caught up to Paradise. The things he heard were too sacred for words, things that man is not permitted to tell. |
| 5On behalf of such a man I will boast; but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in regard to my weaknesses. | 5I will boast about such a man, but I will not boast about myself, except in my weaknesses. |
| 6For if I do wish to boast I will not be foolish, for I will be speaking the truth; but I refrain from this, so that no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me. | 6Even if I wanted to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me, |
| 7Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me-- to keep me from exalting myself! | 7or because of these surpassingly great revelations. So to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. |
| 8Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. | 8Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. |
| 9And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. | 9But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me. |
| 10Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. | 10That is why, for the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. |
| 11I have become foolish; you yourselves compelled me. Actually I should have been commended by you, for in no respect was I inferior to the most eminent apostles, even though I am a nobody. | 11I have become a fool, but you drove me to it. In fact, you should have commended me, since I am in no way inferior to those “super-apostles,” even though I am nothing. |
| 12The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance, by signs and wonders and miracles. | 12The true marks of an apostle—signs, wonders, and miracles—were performed among you with great perseverance. |
| 13For in what respect were you treated as inferior to the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not become a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong! | 13In what way were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong! |
| 14Here for this third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you; for I do not seek what is yours, but you; for children are not responsible to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. | 14See, I am ready to come to you a third time, and I will not be a burden, because I am not seeking your possessions, but you. For children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. |
| 15I will most gladly spend and be expended for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less? | 15And for the sake of your souls, I will most gladly spend my money and myself. If I love you more, will you love me less? |
| 16But be that as it may, I did not burden you myself; nevertheless, crafty fellow that I am, I took you in by deceit. | 16Be that as it may, I was not a burden to you; but crafty as I am, I caught you by trickery. |
| 17Certainly I have not taken advantage of you through any of those whom I have sent to you, have I? | 17Did I exploit you by anyone I sent you? |
| 18I urged Titus to go, and I sent the brother with him. Titus did not take any advantage of you, did he? Did we not conduct ourselves in the same spirit and walk in the same steps? | 18I urged Titus to visit you, and I sent our brother with him. Did Titus exploit you in any way? Did we not walk in the same Spirit and follow in the same footsteps? |
| 19All this time you have been thinking that we are defending ourselves to you. Actually, it is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ; and all for your upbuilding, beloved. | 19Have you been thinking all along that we were making a defense to you? We speak before God in Christ, and all of this, beloved, is to build you up. |
| 20For I am afraid that perhaps when I come I may find you to be not what I wish and may be found by you to be not what you wish; that perhaps there will be strife, jealousy, angry tempers, disputes, slanders, gossip, arrogance, disturbances; | 20For I am afraid that when I come, I may not find you as I wish, and you may not find me as you wish. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, rage, rivalry, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder. |
| 21I am afraid that when I come again my God may humiliate me before you, and I may mourn over many of those who have sinned in the past and not repented of the impurity, immorality and sensuality which they have practiced. | 21I am afraid that when I come again, my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of their acts of impurity, sexual immorality, and debauchery. |
| New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org | The Berean Bible (Berean Study Bible (BSB) © 2016, 2018 by Bible Hub and Berean.Bible. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved. |
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