| New Living Translation | Berean Study Bible |
| 1This boasting will do no good, but I must go on. I will reluctantly tell about visions and revelations from 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 was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether I was in my body or out of my body, I don’t know—only God knows. | 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. |
| 3Yes, only God knows whether I was in my body or outside my body. But I do know | 3And I know that this man—whether in the body or out of it I do not know, but God knows— |
| 4that I was caught up to paradise and heard things so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words, things no human is allowed to tell. | 4was caught up to Paradise. The things he heard were too sacred for words, things that man is not permitted to tell. |
| 5That experience is worth boasting about, but I’m not going to do it. I will boast only about my weaknesses. | 5I will boast about such a man, but I will not boast about myself, except in my weaknesses. |
| 6If I wanted to boast, I would be no fool in doing so, because I would be telling the truth. But I won’t do it, because I don’t want anyone to give me credit beyond what they can see in my life or hear in my message, | 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, |
| 7even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. | 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. |
| 8Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. | 8Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. |
| 9Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through 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. |
| 10That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. Paul’s Concern for the Corinthians | 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. |
| 11You have made me act like a fool. You ought to be writing commendations for me, for I am not at all inferior to these “super apostles,” even though I am nothing at all. | 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. |
| 12When I was with you, I certainly gave you proof that I am an apostle. For I patiently did many signs and wonders and miracles among you. | 12The true marks of an apostle—signs, wonders, and miracles—were performed among you with great perseverance. |
| 13The only thing I failed to do, which I do in the other churches, was to become a financial burden to you. Please forgive me for 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! |
| 14Now I am coming to you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you. I don’t want what you have—I want you. After all, children don’t provide for their parents. Rather, parents provide 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 gladly spend myself and all I have for you, even though it seems that the more I love you, the less you love me. | 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? |
| 16Some of you admit I was not a burden to you. But others still think I was sneaky and took advantage of you by trickery. | 16Be that as it may, I was not a burden to you; but crafty as I am, I caught you by trickery. |
| 17But how? Did any of the men I sent to you take advantage of you? | 17Did I exploit you by anyone I sent you? |
| 18When I urged Titus to visit you and sent our other brother with him, did Titus take advantage of you? No! For we have the same spirit and walk in each other’s steps, doing things the same way. | 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? |
| 19Perhaps you think we’re saying these things just to defend ourselves. No, we tell you this as Christ’s servants, and with God as our witness. Everything we do, dear friends, is to strengthen you. | 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 when I come I won’t like what I find, and you won’t like my response. I am afraid that I will find quarreling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorderly behavior. | 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. |
| 21Yes, I am afraid that when I come again, God will humble me in your presence. And I will be grieved because many of you have not given up your old sins. You have not repented of your impurity, sexual immorality, and eagerness for lustful pleasure. | 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. |
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