| New American Standard Bible 1995 | King James Bible |
| 1Boasting is necessary, though it is not profitable; but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. | 1It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come 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 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. |
| 3And I know how such a man-- whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows-- | 3And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) |
| 4was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak. | 4How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. |
| 5On behalf of such a man I will boast; but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in regard to my weaknesses. | 5Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. |
| 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 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. |
| 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! | 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. |
| 8Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. | 8For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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 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. |
| 12The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance, by signs and wonders and miracles. | 12Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds. |
| 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! | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 15I will most gladly spend and be expended for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less? | 15And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved. |
| 16But be that as it may, I did not burden you myself; nevertheless, crafty fellow that I am, I took you in by deceit. | 16But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile. |
| 17Certainly I have not taken advantage of you through any of those whom I have sent to you, have I? | 17Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto 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 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? |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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, 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: |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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 | King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com. |
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