It is necessary to boast; it is not profitable, but I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.
The Koine Bible
The Scriptures in Greek with direct English translation.
SBL Greek New Testament
2 Corinthians 12
Greek text followed verse by verse by a direct English translation.
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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.
I know a person in Christ fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or outside the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven.
And I know such a man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows—
because he was caught up into paradise and heard inexpressible words that it is not permitted for a person to speak.
I will boast beyond such a thing, but I will not boast about myself except in my weaknesses.
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,
For if I wish to boast, I will not be foolish, for I will speak the truth; but I refrain, so that no one may consider me beyond what they see or hear from me,
καὶ τῇ ὑπερβολῇ τῶν ἀποκαλύψεων. διὸ ἵνα μὴ ὑπεραίρωμαι, ἐδόθη μοι σκόλοψ τῇ σαρκί, ἄγγελος Σατανᾶ, ἵνα με κολαφίζῃ, ἵνα μὴ ὑπεραίρωμαι.
And because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, so that I would not become arrogant, a thorn was given to me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to strike me, so that I would not become arrogant.
Because of this, I pleaded with the Lord three times that he would remove it from me.
καὶ εἴρηκέν μοι· Ἀρκεῖ σοι ἡ χάρις μου· ἡ γὰρ δύναμις ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ τελεῖται. ἥδιστα οὖν μᾶλλον καυχήσομαι ἐν ταῖς ἀσθενείαις μου, ἵνα ἐπισκηνώσῃ ἐπ' ἐμὲ ἡ δύναμις τοῦ Χριστοῦ.
And he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness. Therefore, I will most gladly boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of the Messiah may dwell on me.
διὸ εὐδοκῶ ἐν ἀσθενείαις, ἐν ὕβρεσιν, ἐν ἀνάγκαις, ἐν διωγμοῖς καὶ στενοχωρίαις, ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ· ὅταν γὰρ ἀσθενῶ, τότε δυνατός εἰμι.
Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and difficulties for the sake of the Messiah; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
Γέγονα ἄφρων· ὑμεῖς με ἠναγκάσατε· ἐγὼ γὰρ ὤφειλον ὑφ' ὑμῶν συνίστασθαι. οὐδὲν γὰρ ὑστέρησα τῶν ὑπερλίαν ἀποστόλων, εἰ καὶ οὐδέν εἰμι·
I have become foolish; you forced me. For I ought to have been commended by you, because I am not inferior to the most eminent apostles, even though I am nothing.
τὰ μὲν σημεῖα τοῦ ἀποστόλου κατειργάσθη ἐν ὑμῖν ἐν πάσῃ ὑπομονῇ, σημείοις τε καὶ τέρασιν καὶ δυνάμεσιν.
The signs of an apostle were performed among you with all perseverance, by signs and wonders and powers.
τί γάρ ἐστιν ὃ ἡσσώθητε ὑπὲρ τὰς λοιπὰς ἐκκλησίας, εἰ μὴ ὅτι αὐτὸς ἐγὼ οὐ κατενάρκησα ὑμῶν; χαρίσασθέ μοι τὴν ἀδικίαν ταύτην.
For what is it in which you were inferior to the rest of the churches, if not that I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong.
Ἰδοὺ τρίτον τοῦτο ἑτοίμως ἔχω ἐλθεῖν πρὸς ὑμᾶς, καὶ οὐ καταναρκήσω· οὐ γὰρ ζητῶ τὰ ὑμῶν ἀλλὰ ὑμᾶς, οὐ γὰρ ὀφείλει τὰ τέκνα τοῖς γονεῦσιν θησαυρίζειν, ἀλλὰ οἱ γονεῖς τοῖς τέκνοις.
Behold, this third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be burdensome; for I do not seek your possessions but you. For children do not owe to parents to store up, but parents to children.
ἐγὼ δὲ ἥδιστα δαπανήσω καὶ ἐκδαπανηθήσομαι ὑπὲρ τῶν ψυχῶν ὑμῶν. εἰ περισσοτέρως ὑμᾶς ἀγαπῶν, ἧσσον ἀγαπῶμαι;
But I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more abundantly, am I to be loved less?
But let it be, I did not burden you; but being crafty, I took you by deceit.
Did I take advantage of you through anyone I sent to you?
παρεκάλεσα Τίτον καὶ συναπέστειλα τὸν ἀδελφόν· μήτι ἐπλεονέκτησεν ὑμᾶς Τίτος; οὐ τῷ αὐτῷ πνεύματι περιεπατήσαμεν; οὐ τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἴχνεσιν;
I urged Titus and sent the brother along with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not walk by the same Spirit? Did we not follow the same steps?
Πάλαι δοκεῖτε ὅτι ὑμῖν ἀπολογούμεθα; κατέναντι θεοῦ ἐν Χριστῷ λαλοῦμεν. τὰ δὲ πάντα, ἀγαπητοί, ὑπὲρ τῆς ὑμῶν οἰκοδομῆς,
For a long time you have thought that we are defending ourselves to you; we speak before God in Christ. But all things, beloved, are for your building up,
φοβοῦμαι γὰρ μή πως ἐλθὼν οὐχ οἵους θέλω εὕρω ὑμᾶς, κἀγὼ εὑρεθῶ ὑμῖν οἷον οὐ θέλετε, μή πως ἔρις, ζῆλος, θυμοί, ἐριθεῖαι, καταλαλιαί, ψιθυρισμοί, φυσιώσεις, ἀκαταστασίαι·
For I fear that when I come I may not find you as I wish, and I may be found by you as you do not wish, that there may be quarrels, jealousy, anger, rivalries, slanders, gossip, arrogance, and disorder.
μὴ πάλιν ἐλθόντος μου ταπεινώσῃ με ὁ θεός μου πρὸς ὑμᾶς, καὶ πενθήσω πολλοὺς τῶν προημαρτηκότων καὶ μὴ μετανοησάντων ἐπὶ τῇ ἀκαθαρσίᾳ καὶ πορνείᾳ καὶ ἀσελγείᾳ ᾗ ἔπραξαν.
Lest, when I come again, my God humbles me toward you, and I mourn over many who have sinned before and have not repented of the uncleanness and sexual immorality and licentiousness which they practiced.