| New American Standard Bible 1995 | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Boasting is necessary, though it is not profitable; but I will go on to visions and revelations of 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 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 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. |
| 3And I know how such a man-- whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows-- | 3I know that this man--whether in the body or out of the body I don't know, God knows-- |
| 4was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak. | 4was caught up into paradise. He heard inexpressible words, which a man is not allowed to speak. |
| 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 this person, but not about myself, except of 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. | 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, |
| 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! | 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. |
| 8Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. | 8Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times 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 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. |
| 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. | 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 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; 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 a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance, by signs and wonders and miracles. | 12The signs of an apostle were performed with great endurance among you--not only signs but also wonders and miracles. |
| 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! | 13So in what way were you treated worse than the other churches, except that I personally did not burden 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. | 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 most gladly spend and be expended for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less? | 15I will most gladly spend and be spent for you. If I love you more, am I to be loved 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. | 16Now granted, I have not burdened you; yet sly as I am, I took you in by deceit! |
| 17Certainly I have not taken advantage of you through any of those whom I have sent to you, have I? | 17Did I take advantage of 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 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? |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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 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 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 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. |
| 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 | Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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