Passage

2 Corinthians 12.1-10

Book: 2 Corinthians · NASB95

Immediate context (±2 verses)

ASV (ASV)

"1. I must needs glory, though it is not expedient; but I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2. I know a man in Christ, fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I know not; or whether out of the body, I know not; God knoweth), such a one caught up even to the third heaven. 3. And I know such a man (whether in the body, or apart from the body, I know not; God knoweth), 4. how that he was caught up into Paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. 5. On behalf of such a one will I glory: but on mine own behalf I will not glory, save in my weaknesses. 6. For if I should desire to glory, I shall not be foolish; for I shall speak the truth: but I forbear, lest any man should account of me above that which he seeth me to be, or heareth from me. 7. And by reason of the exceeding greatness of the revelations, that I should not be exalted overmuch, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, that I should not be exalted overmuch. 8. Concerning this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9. And he hath said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my power is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10. Wherefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."

"11. I am become foolish: ye compelled me; for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing was I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I am nothing. 12. Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, by signs and wonders and mighty works." (2 Corinthians 12:1-12, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"1. It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. For I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2. I know a man in Christ, fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I don’t know, or whether out of the body, I don’t know; God knows), such a one caught up into the third heaven. 3. I know such a man (whether in the body, or outside of the body, I don’t know; God knows), 4. how he was caught up into Paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. 5. On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in my weaknesses. 6. For if I would desire to boast, I will not be foolish; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, so that no man may think more of me than that which he sees in me, or hears from me. 7. By reason of the exceeding greatness of the revelations, that I should not be exalted excessively, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, that I should not be exalted excessively. 8. Concerning this thing, I begged the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9. He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me. 10. Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong."

"11. I have become foolish in boasting. You compelled me, for I ought to have been commended by you, for in nothing was I inferior to the very best apostles, though I am nothing. 12. Truly the signs of an apostle were worked among you in all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty works." (2 Corinthians 12:1-12, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"1. It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. ^{I will come: Gr. For I will come} 2. I 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. 3. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) 4. How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. ^{lawful: or, possible} 5. Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. 6. For 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. 7. And 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. 8. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9. And 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. 10. Therefore 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."

"11. I 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. 12. Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds." (2 Corinthians 12:1-12, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"1. To boast, really, is not profitable for me, for I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2. I have known a man in Christ, fourteen years ago, whether in the body I have not known, whether out of the body I have not known, God hath known, such an one being caught away unto the third heaven; 3. and I have known such a man, whether in the body, whether out of the body, I have not known, God hath known,, 4. that he was caught away to the paradise, and heard unutterable sayings, that it is not possible for man to speak. 5. Of such an one I will boast, and of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities, 6. for if I may wish to boast, I shall not be a fool, for truth I will say; but I forebear, lest any one in regard to me may think anything above what he doth see me, or doth hear anything of me; 7. and that by the exceeding greatness of the revelations I might not be exalted overmuch, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of the Adversary, that he might buffet me, that I might not be exalted overmuch. 8. Concerning this thing thrice the Lord did I call upon, that it might depart from me, 9. and He said to me, 'Sufficient for thee is My grace, for My power in infirmity is perfected;' most gladly, therefore, will I rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of the Christ may rest on me: 10. wherefore I am well pleased in infirmities, in damages, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ; for whenever I am infirm, then I am powerful;"

"11. I have become a fool, boasting; ye, ye did compel me; for I ought by you to have been commended, for in nothing was I behind the very chiefest apostles, even if I am nothing. 12. The signs, indeed, of the apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds," (2 Corinthians 12:1-12, YLT)

Setting

Speaker: TBD
Audience: TBD
Location: TBD
Time period: TBD

Theological reading

Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added.

Key words

Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word; see Lexicon Roadmap.

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Quoted in

Pam Reynolds (NDE 1991)

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.