| New King James Version | NET Bible |
| 1It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord: | 1It is necessary to go on boasting. Though it is not profitable, 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 whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven. | 2I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago (whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows) was caught up to the third heaven. |
| 3And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— | 3And I know that this man (whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows) |
| 4how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. | 4was caught up into paradise and heard things too sacred to be put into words, things that a person is not permitted to speak. |
| 5Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities. | 5On behalf of such an individual I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except about my weaknesses. |
| 6For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me. | 6For even if I wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I would be telling the truth, but I refrain from this so that no one may regard me beyond what he sees in me or what he hears from me, |
| 7And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. | 7even because of the extraordinary character of the revelations. Therefore, so that I would not become arrogant, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to trouble me--so that I would not become arrogant. |
| 8Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. | 8I asked the Lord three times about this, that it would depart from me. |
| 9And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. | 9But he said to me, "My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in me. |
| 10Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. | 10Therefore I am content with weaknesses, with insults, with troubles, with persecutions and difficulties for the sake of Christ, for whenever I am weak, then I am strong. |
| 11I have become a fool in boasting; you have compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you; for in nothing was I behind the most eminent apostles, though I am nothing. | 11I have become a fool. You yourselves forced me to do it, for I should have been commended by you. For I lack nothing in comparison to those "super-apostles," even though I am nothing. |
| 12Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds. | 12Indeed, the signs of an apostle were performed among you with great perseverance by signs and wonders and powerful deeds. |
| 13For what is it in which you were inferior to other churches, except that I myself was not burdensome to you? Forgive me this wrong! | 13For how were you treated worse than the other churches, except that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this injustice! |
| 14Now for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be burdensome to you; for I do not seek yours, but you. For the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. | 14Look, for the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you, because I do not want your possessions, but you. For children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. |
| 15And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved. | 15Now I will most gladly spend and be spent for your lives! If I love you more, am I to be loved less? |
| 16But be that as it may, I did not burden you. Nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you by cunning! | 16But be that as it may, I have not burdened you. Yet because I was a crafty person, I took you in by deceit! |
| 17Did I take advantage of you by any of those whom I sent to you? | 17I have not taken advantage of you through anyone I have sent to you, have I? |
| 18I urged Titus, and sent our brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same steps? | 18I urged Titus to visit you and I sent our brother along with him. Titus did not take advantage of you, did he? Did we not conduct ourselves in the same spirit? Did we not behave in the same way? |
| 19Again, do you think that we excuse ourselves to you? We speak before God in Christ. But we do all things, beloved, for your edification. | 19Have you been thinking all this time that we have been defending ourselves to you? We are speaking in Christ before God, and everything we do, dear friends, is to build you up. |
| 20For I fear lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish, and that I shall be found by you such as you do not wish; lest there be contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, backbitings, whisperings, conceits, tumults; | 20For I am afraid that somehow when I come I will not find you what I wish, and you will find me not what you wish. I am afraid that somehow there may be quarreling, jealousy, intense anger, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder. |
| 21lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and I shall mourn for many who have sinned before and have not repented of the uncleanness, fornication, and lewdness which they have practiced. | 21I am afraid that when I come again, my God may humiliate me before you, and I will grieve for many of those who previously sinned and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and licentiousness that they have practiced. |
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