Passage

2 Corinthians 12.2-3

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." (2 Corinthians 12:1-5, 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." (2 Corinthians 12:1-5, 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." (2 Corinthians 12:1-5, 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," (2 Corinthians 12:1-5, 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

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.