2 Corinthians 12

Paul's visions and the thorn in the flesh (continued)

Καυχᾶσθαι δὴ οὐ συμφέρει μοι· ἐλεύσομαι γὰρ εἰς ὀπτασίας καὶ ἀποκαλύψεις κυρίου
1
It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.
οἶδα ἄνθρωπον ἐν Χριστῷ πρὸ ἐτῶν δεκατεσσάρων εἴτε ἐν σώματι οὐκ οἶδα εἴτε ἐκτὸς τοῦ σώματος οὐκ οἶδα ὁ θεὸς οἶδεν ἁρπαγέντα τὸν τοιοῦτον ἕως τρίτου οὐρανοῦ
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.
καὶ οἶδα τὸν τοιοῦτον ἄνθρωπον εἴτε ἐν σώματι εἴτε ἐκτὸς τοῦ σώματος οὐκ οἶδα ὁ θεὸς οἶδεν
3
And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)
ὅτι ἡρπάγη εἰς τὸν παράδεισον καὶ ἤκουσεν ἄῤῥητα ῥήματα ἃ οὐκ ἐξὸν ἀνθρώπῳ λαλῆσαι
4
How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
ὑπὲρ τοῦ τοιούτου καυχήσομαι ὑπὲρ δὲ ἐμαυτοῦ οὐ καυχήσομαι εἰ μὴ ἐν ταῖς ἀσθενείαις μου
5
Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.
ἐὰν γὰρ θελήσω καυχήσασθαι οὐκ ἔσομαι ἄφρων ἀλήθειαν γὰρ ἐρῶ· φείδομαι δέ μή τις εἰς ἐμὲ λογίσηται ὑπὲρ ὃ βλέπει με ἢ ἀκούει τι ἐξ ἐμοῦ
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.
καὶ τῇ ὑπερβολῇ τῶν ἀποκαλύψεων ἵνα μὴ ὑπεραίρωμαι ἐδόθη μοι σκόλοψ τῇ σαρκί ἄγγελος Σατᾶν ἵνα με κολαφίζῃ ἵνα μὴ ὑπεραίρωμαι
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.
ὑπὲρ τούτου τρὶς τὸν κύριον παρεκάλεσα ἵνα ἀποστῇ ἀπ' ἐμοῦ
8
For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
καὶ εἴρηκέν μοι· Ἀρκεῖ σοι ἡ χάρις μου ἡ γὰρ δύναμις μου ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ τελειοῦται ἥδιστα οὖν μᾶλλον καυχήσομαι ἐν ταῖς ἀσθενείαις μου· ἵνα ἐπισκηνώσῃ ἐπ' ἐμὲ ἡ δύναμις τοῦ Χριστοῦ
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 may Christ rest upon me.
διὸ εὐδοκῶ ἐν ἀσθενείαις ἐν ὕβρεσιν ἐν ἀνάγκαις ἐν διωγμοῖς ἐν στενοχωρίαις ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ· ὅταν γὰρ ἀσθενῶ τότε δυνατός εἰμι
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.

Paul's signs as an apostle and his care for the Corinthians

Γέγονα ἄφρων καυχώμενος· ὑμεῖς με ἠναγκάσατε ἐγὼ γὰρ ὤφειλον ὑφ' ὑμῶν συνίστασθαι· οὐδὲν γὰρ ὑστέρησα τῶν ὑπερ λίαν ἀποστόλων εἰ καὶ οὐδέν εἰμι
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.
τὰ μὲν σημεῖα τοῦ ἀποστόλου κατειργάσθη ἐν ὑμῖν ἐν πάσῃ ὑπομονῇ ἐν σημείοις καὶ τέρασιν καὶ δυνάμεσιν
12
Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.
τί γάρ ἐστιν ὃ ἡττήθητε ὑπὲρ τὰς λοιπὰς ἐκκλησίας εἰ μὴ ὅτι αὐτὸς ἐγὼ οὐ κατενάρκησα ὑμῶν χαρίσασθέ μοι τὴν ἀδικίαν ταύτην
13
For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong.
Ἰδού τρίτον ἑτοίμως ἔχω ἐλθεῖν πρὸς ὑμᾶς καὶ οὐ καταναρκήσω· ὑμῶν οὐ γὰρ ζητῶ τὰ ὑμῶν· ἀλλ' ὑμᾶς οὐ γὰρ ὀφείλει τὰ τέκνα τοῖς γονεῦσιν θησαυρίζειν ἀλλ' οἱ γονεῖς τοῖς τέκνοις
14
Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up the for parents, but the parents for the children.
ἐγὼ δὲ ἥδιστα δαπανήσω καὶ ἐκδαπανηθήσομαι ὑπὲρ τῶν ψυχῶν ὑμῶν εἰ καὶ περισσοτέρως ὑμᾶς ἀγαπῶν ἧττον ἀγαπῶμαι
15
And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.
ἔστω δέ ἐγὼ οὐ κατεβάρησα ὑμᾶς· ἀλλ' ὑπάρχων πανοῦργος δόλῳ ὑμᾶς ἔλαβον
16
But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile.
μή τινα ὧν ἀπέσταλκα πρὸς ὑμᾶς δι' αὐτοῦ ἐπλεονέκτησα ὑμᾶς
17
Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you?
παρεκάλεσα Τίτον καὶ συναπέστειλα τὸν ἀδελφόν· μή τι ἐπλεονέκτησεν ὑμᾶς Τίτος οὐ τῷ αὐτῷ πνεύματι περιεπατήσαμεν οὐ τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἴχνεσιν
18
I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother. Did make a Titus gain of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps?
Πάλιν δοκεῖτε ὅτι ὑμῖν ἀπολογούμεθα κατένωπιον τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν Χριστῷ λαλοῦμεν· τὰ δὲ πάντα ἀγαπητοί ὑπὲρ τῆς ὑμῶν οἰκοδομῆς
19
Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying.

Paul's fear about the state of the church at his coming

φοβοῦμαι γὰρ μήπως ἐλθὼν οὐχ οἵους θέλω εὕρω ὑμᾶς κἀγὼ εὑρεθῶ ὑμῖν οἷον οὐ θέλετε· μήπως ἔρεις ζῆλοι θυμοί ἐριθείαι καταλαλιαί ψιθυρισμοί φυσιώσεις ἀκαταστασίαι·
20
For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and I that shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:
μὴ πάλιν ἐλθόντα με ταπεινώσῃ ὁ θεός μου πρὸς ὑμᾶς καὶ πενθήσω πολλοὺς τῶν προημαρτηκότων καὶ μὴ μετανοησάντων ἐπὶ τῇ ἀκαθαρσίᾳ καὶ πορνείᾳ καὶ ἀσελγείᾳ ᾗ ἔπραξαν
21
And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.

Places in 2 Corinthians 12

People, Places & Things in 2 Corinthians 12