| New International Version | Christian Standard Bible |
| 1I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from 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 was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know--God knows. | 2I know a man in Christ who was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether he was in the body or out of the body, I don't know; God knows. |
| 3And I know that this man--whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but 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 to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell. | 4was caught up into paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a human being is not allowed to speak. |
| 5I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses. | 5I will boast about this person, but not about myself, except of my weaknesses. |
| 6Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, | 6For if I want to boast, I wouldn't be a fool, because I would 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, |
| 7or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. | 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 that I would not exalt myself. |
| 8Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. | 8Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times that it would leave me. |
| 9But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. | 9But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my 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. |
| 10That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. | 10So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and in difficulties, for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. |
| 11I have made a fool of myself, but you drove me to it. I ought to have been commended by you, for I am not in the least inferior to the "super-apostles," even though I am nothing. | 11I have been a fool; you forced it on me. You ought to have commended me, since I am not in any way inferior to those "super-apostles," even though I am nothing. |
| 12I persevered in demonstrating among you the marks of a true apostle, including signs, wonders and miracles. | 12The signs of an apostle were performed with unfailing endurance among you, including signs and wonders and miracles. |
| 13How were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was never a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong! | 13So in what way are you worse off than the other churches, except that I personally did not burden you? Forgive me for this wrong! |
| 14Now I am ready to visit you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not your possessions but you. After all, children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. | 14Look, I am ready to come to you this third time. I will not burden you, since I am not seeking what is yours, but you. For children ought not save up for their parents, but parents for their children. |
| 15So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well. If I love you more, will you love me less? | 15I will most gladly spend and be spent for you. If I love you more, am I to be loved less? |
| 16Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you. Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery! | 16Now granted, I did not burden you; yet sly as I am, I took you in by deceit! |
| 17Did I exploit you through any of the men I sent to you? | 17Did I take advantage of you by any of those I sent you? |
| 18I urged Titus to go to you and I sent our brother with him. Titus did not exploit you, did he? Did we not walk in the same footsteps by the same Spirit? | 18I urged Titus to go, and I sent the brother with him. Titus didn't take advantage of you, did he? Didn't we walk in the same spirit and in the same footsteps? |
| 19Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? We have been speaking in the sight of God as those in Christ; and everything we do, dear friends, is for your strengthening. | 19Have you been thinking 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 when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder. | 20For I fear that perhaps when I come I will not find you to be what I want, and you may not find me to be what you want. Perhaps there will be quarreling, jealousy, angry outbursts, selfish ambitions, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder. |
| 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 the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery in which they have indulged. | 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 sensuality they practiced. |
| New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. | The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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