<h3>Paul's Visions and His Thorn</h3>12 I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. 3 And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— 4 and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. 5 On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses— 6 though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. 7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, <woj> “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”</woj> Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. <h3>Concern for the Corinthian Church</h3> 11 I have been a fool! You forced me to it, for I ought to have been commended by you. For I was not at all inferior to these super-apostles, even though I am nothing. 12 The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works. 13 For in what were you less favored than the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong! 14 Here for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be a burden, for I seek not what is yours but you. For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. 15 I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less? 16 But granting that I myself did not burden you, I was crafty, you say, and got the better of you by deceit. 17 Did I take advantage of you through any of those whom I sent to you? 18 I urged Titus to go, and sent the brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not act in the same spirit? Did we not take the same steps? 19 Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? It is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ, and all for your upbuilding, beloved. 20 For I fear that perhaps when I come I may find you not as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish—that perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder. 21 I fear that when I come again my God may humble me before you, and I may have to mourn over many of those who sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality that they have practiced.

2 Corinthians 12:1

I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and <cr>1</cr>revelations of the Lord.

I know a man <cr>1</cr>in Christ who fourteen years ago was <cr>2</cr>caught up to <cr>3</cr>the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, <cr>4</cr>God knows.

2 Corinthians 12:2

And I know that this man was caught up into <cr>1</cr>paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, <cr>2</cr>God knows—

2 Corinthians 12:3

and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter.

2 Corinthians 12:4

On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, <cr>1</cr>except of my weaknesses—

2 Corinthians 12:5

though if I should wish to boast, <cr>1</cr>I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me.

2 Corinthians 12:6

So <cr>1</cr>to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations,<ft>1</ft><cr>2</cr>a thorn was given me in the flesh, <cr>3</cr>a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.

2 Corinthians 12:7

<cr>1</cr>Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.

2 Corinthians 12:8

But he said to me, <woj><cr>1</cr>“My grace is sufficient for you, for <cr>2</cr>my power is made perfect in weakness.”</woj> Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that <cr>3</cr>the power of Christ may rest upon me.

2 Corinthians 12:9

<cr>1</cr>For the sake of Christ, then, <cr>2</cr>I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For <cr>3</cr>when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12:10

2 Corinthians 12:11

<cr>1</cr>I have been a fool! You forced me to it, for I ought to have been commended by you. For I was <cr>2</cr>not at all inferior to these super-apostles, <cr>3</cr>even though I am nothing.

<cr>1</cr>The signs of a true apostle were performed among you <cr>2</cr>with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works.

2 Corinthians 12:12

For in what were you less favored than the rest of the churches, except that <cr>1</cr>I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong!

2 Corinthians 12:13

Here <cr>1</cr>for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be a burden, for <cr>2</cr>I seek not what is yours but you. For <cr>3</cr>children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but <cr>4</cr>parents for their children.

2 Corinthians 12:14

<cr>1</cr>I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If <cr>2</cr>I love you more, am I to be loved less?

2 Corinthians 12:15

But granting that <cr>1</cr>I myself did not burden you, I was crafty, you say, and got the better of you by deceit.

2 Corinthians 12:16

Did I take advantage of you <cr>1</cr>through any of those whom I sent to you?

2 Corinthians 12:17

<cr>1</cr>I urged Titus to go, and sent <cr>2</cr>the brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not act in the same spirit? Did we not take the same steps?

2 Corinthians 12:18

Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? It is <cr>1</cr>in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ, and <cr>2</cr>all for your upbuilding, beloved.

2 Corinthians 12:19

For I fear that perhaps <cr>1</cr>when I come I may find you not as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish—that perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder.

2 Corinthians 12:20

I fear that when I come again my God may humble me before you, and I may have to mourn over many of those <cr>1</cr>who sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, <cr>2</cr>sexual immorality, and sensuality that they have practiced.

2 Corinthians 12:21

 1 I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and  revelations of the Lord. 2 I know a man  in Christ who fourteen years ago was  caught up to  the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know,  God knows. 3 And I know that this man was caught up into  paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know,  God knows— 4 and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. 5 On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast,  except of my weaknesses— 6 though if I should wish to boast,  I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. 7 So  to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations,  a thorn was given me in the flesh,  a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8  Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But 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 of my weaknesses, so that  the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10  For the sake of Christ, then,  I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For  when I am weak, then I am strong. 11  I have been a fool! You forced me to it, for I ought to have been commended by you. For I was  not at all inferior to these super-apostles,  even though I am nothing. 12  The signs of a true apostle were performed among you  with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works. 13 For in what were you less favored than the rest of the churches, except that  I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong! 14 Here  for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be a burden, for  I seek not what is yours but you. For  children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but  parents for their children. 15  I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If  I love you more, am I to be loved less? 16 But granting that  I myself did not burden you, I was crafty, you say, and got the better of you by deceit. 17 Did I take advantage of you  through any of those whom I sent to you? 18  I urged Titus to go, and sent  the brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not act in the same spirit? Did we not take the same steps? 19 Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? It is  in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ, and  all for your upbuilding, beloved. 20 For I fear that perhaps  when I come I may find you not as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish—that perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder. 21 I fear that when I come again my God may humble me before you, and I may have to mourn over many of those  who sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity,  sexual immorality, and sensuality that they have practiced.

From Wikipedia: 

The English Standard Version (ESV) is an English translation of the Bible. The ESV was published in 2001 by Crossway, having been "created by a team of more than 100 leading evangelical scholars and pastors." The ESV relies on recently published critical editions of the original Hebrew and Greek texts. Crossway claim that the ESV continues a legacy begun by the Tyndale New Testament of precision and faithfulness in English translation of the original text, followed in the same standard by "the King James Version of 1611 (KJV), the English Revised Version of 1885 (RV), the American Standard Version of 1901 (ASV), and the Revised Standard Version of 1952 and 1971." Crossway describes the ESV as a translation that "emphasizes 'word-for-word' accuracy, literary excellence, and depth of meaning." Crossway also describes the ESV as a translation that adheres to an "essentially literal" translation philosophy, taking into account "differences in grammar, syntax, and idiom between current literary English and the original languages."

The ESV is derived from the 1971 text edition of the Revised Standard Version (RSV). ESV Translation Oversight Committee member Wayne Grudem claims that approximately eight percent (or about 60,000 words) of the 1971 RSV text being used for the ESV was revised as of first publication in 2001. Grudem states that the committee removed "every trace of liberal influence that had caused such criticism from evangelicals when the RSV was first published in 1952." Although, Grudem also states that much of the 1971 RSV text left unchanged by the committee "is simply 'the best of the best' of the KJV tradition."

With regard to gender language, the ESV Translation Oversight Committee state that "the goal of the ESV is to render literally what is in the original."[9] The committee expands on this position in claiming that, although the ESV avoids using gender-neutral language (for the purpose of preserving contextual meaning found in the original text), the translation does utilize gender-neutral language in specific cases. The committee further state that their objective was "transparency to the original text, allowing the reader to understand the original on its own terms rather than in the terms of our present-day Western culture."[9] The ESV Study Bible often details in its commentary why a complementarian interpretation of the original text may have been rendered in translation.

OT: Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (5th ed., 1997); additional sources in difficult cases
NT: UBS Greek New Testament (5th corrected ed.); Novum Testamentum Graece (28th ed., 2012)

2 Corinthians12 - ESV

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