2Corinthians 12
12I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord.G4851G3756G4851G3427G1211G2744G1063G2064G1519G3701G2532G602G29622I 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 the body I do not know--God knows.G1492G444G1722G5547G4253G1180G2094G4253G1535G1722G4983G3756G1492G1535G1622G4983G3756G1492G2316G1492G5108G726G2193G5154G37723And I know that this man--whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows--G2532G1492G5108G444G1535G1722G4983G1535G1622G4983G3756G1492G2316G14924was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell.G3754G726G1519G3857G2532G191G731G4487G3739G1832G3756G1832G444G29805I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses.G5228G5108G2744G1161G5228G1683G2744G3756G2744G1508G1722G3450G7696Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say.G1063G1437G2309G2744G2071G3756G2071G878G1063G2046G225G1161G5339G3361G5100G3049G1519G1691G5228G3739G991G3165G2228G191G5100G1537G17007To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.G2532G3363G5229G5236G602G1325G3427G4647G4561G32G4566G2443G2852G3165G3363G52298Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.G5228G5127G3870G2962G5151G2443G868G575G17009But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.G2532G2046G3427G3450G5485G714G4671G1063G3450G1411G5048G1722G769G2236G3767G2744G3123G2744G1722G3450G769G2443G1411G5547G1981G1909G169110That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.G1352G2106G1722G769G1722G5196G1722G318G1722G1375G1722G4730G5228G5547G5228G1063G3752G770G5119G1510G141511I have made a fool of myself, but you drove me to it. I ought to have been commended by you, for I am not in the least inferior to the "super-apostles," even though I am nothing.G1096G878G2744G5210G315G3165G1063G1473G3784G4921G5259G5216G1063G3762G5302G3029G652G5228G1499G1510G376212The things that mark an apostle--signs, wonders and miracles--were done among you with great perseverance.G3303G4592G652G2716G1722G5213G1722G3956G5281G1722G4592G2532G5059G2532G141113How were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was never a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!G1063G5101G2076G3739G2274G5228G3062G1577G1508G3754G1473G846G2655G3756G2655G5216G5483G3427G5026G9314Now I am ready to visit you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not your possessions but you. After all, children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.G2400G5154G2192G2093G2064G4314G5209G2532G2655G3756G2655G5216G1063G2212G3756G5216G235G5209G1063G5043G3784G3756G2343G1118G235G1118G504315So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well. If I love you more, will you love me less?G1161G1473G2236G1159G2532G1550G5228G5590G5216G1499G4056G25G5209G2276G2516Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you. Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery!G1161G2077G1473G2599G3756G2599G5209G235G5225G3835G2983G5209G138817Did I exploit you through any of the men I sent you?G4122G3361G5209G1223G5100G846G3739G649G4314G520918I urged Titus to go to you and I sent our brother with him. Titus did not exploit you, did he? Did we not act in the same spirit and follow the same course?G3870G5103G2532G4882G80G4122G3387G5103G4122G5209G4043G3756G846G4151G3756G846G248719Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? We have been speaking in the sight of God as those in Christ; and everything we do, dear friends, is for your strengthening.G3825G1380G3754G626G5213G2980G2714G2316G1722G5547G1161G3956G27G5228G5216G361920For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder.G1063G5399G3381G4458G2064G2147G3756G2147G5209G3634G2309G2504G2147G5213G3634G2309G3756G3381G4458G2054G2205G2372G2052G2636G5587G5450G18121I 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 the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery in which they have indulged.G3361G2064G3825G3450G2316G5013G3165G4314G5209G2532G3996G4183G3588G4258G2532G3340G3361G3340G1909G167G2532G4202G2532G766G3739G4238
Columbus, OH
