The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians

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- Kapitel 12 -

Even though it does no good, I must continue to defend myself, so I will continue by boasting about some visions that the Lord gave me.

Fourteen years ago God took me, a man who is joined to Messiah, up to the highest heaven, although only God knows whether he took me up only in my spirit or in my body, too.

And I, whether in my body or only in my spirit, God alone knows,

I was taken up into a place in heaven called paradise. There I heard things that were so holy and that I am not able to tell them to you.

Paul’s Thorn and God’s Grace

I can boast about that, but God made all that happen, not I. For myself, I can be proud only about how God works in me, a weak man.

Even if I kept on boasting about myself, I would not be foolish, because I would be saying only what was true. However, I will boast no more, so that you can judge me only by what you hear me say, or by what you already know about me.

So I will leave the subject of the amazing visions that God gave me; except that I should tell you that God sent me something very difficult to bear, a device from Satan, in order to cause me to suffer. God did this so that I would not become proud about the visions I saw.

I prayed three times to the Lord about this matter; each time I begged him to take this away from me.

But he said to me, “No, I will not take this away from you. All you need is for me to love you and be with you, because I do my most powerful work in you when you are weak.” That is why I would rather be proud of my weakness, so that Messiah’s power can come and make me strong.

I can face anything because Messiah is with me. It may be that I must be weak, or that others might treat me with scorn, or that I must have great hardships, or that others will try to kill me. It may be that I will continue to suffer hardships of various kinds. In any case, when my power is gone, then I am at my strongest.

Paul’s Concern for the Corinthians

When I write this way, I am praising myself. But I had to do so, because you should have had confidence in me. I am just as good as these “super-apostles,” even though I am really nothing at all.

I gave you the true signs of being an authentic apostle, miracles that I did very patiently among you: Wonderful miracles that proved that I truly serve Jesus Christ.

You certainly were just as important as all the other churches! The only way you were different was that I received no money from you as I did from them. Forgive me that I did not ask this from you!

So listen to this! I am now ready to visit you for a third time, and on this trip, as on all the others, I will not ask you for any money. I do not want anything you have. What I want is you! You know the principle that we all follow in our families: The children should not pay the expenses of their parents, but the parents save up to pay the expenses of the children.

I will most happily do everything I can for you, even if it means losing my life. If this means that I love you more than ever, surely you should love me more than ever as well.

And so, someone might say that although I did not ask you for money, I tricked you into letting me pay for everything I needed.

Well, I never cheated you by using someone else I sent to you, did I?

For example, I sent Titus and the other brother to you, but they did not ask you to support them, did they? Titus never made you pay his expenses, did he? Titus and the other brother treated you the same as I did, is this not so? We lived our lives in the same way; you never had to pay anything for us.

You do not really think that I have been trying to defend myself in this letter, do you? God knows that I am joined to Messiah, and that I have written everything in order to strengthen you in trusting him.

But when I come to you, I may not find you as I wished. When I come you may not want to listen to me. I fear that you are arguing a lot among yourselves, that some of you are jealous of one another, and that some of you become very angry with each other. I fear that some of you are putting yourselves first, that you are talking about each other, and that some of you are very selfish.

I am afraid that when I come to you and see you, God will humble me. I am afraid that I will have to mourn for many of you who disobeyed God earlier and have not stopped sinning in various sexual ways.

It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast, but I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

I know a man in Christ who was caught up into the third heaven fourteen years ago—whether in the body, I don’t know, or whether out of the body, I don’t know; God knows.

I know such a man (whether in the body, or outside of the body, I don’t know; God knows),

how he was caught up into Paradise and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

Paul’s Thorn and God’s Grace

On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in my weaknesses.

For if I would desire to boast, I will not be foolish; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, so that no man may think more of me than that which he sees in me or hears from me.

By reason of the exceeding greatness of the revelations, that I should not be exalted excessively, a thorn in the flesh was given to me: a messenger of Satan to torment me, that I should not be exalted excessively.

Concerning this thing, I begged the Lord three times that it might depart from me.

He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me.

Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, and in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong.

Paul’s Concern for the Corinthians

I have become foolish in boasting. You compelled me, for I ought to have been commended by you, for I am in no way inferior to the very best apostles, though I am nothing.

Truly the signs of an apostle were worked among you in all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty works.

For what is there in which you were made inferior to the rest of the assemblies, unless it is that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!

Behold, this is the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you; for I seek not your possessions, but you. For the children ought not to save up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more abundantly, am I loved the less?

Even so, I myself didn’t burden you. But you might say that being crafty, I caught you with deception.

Did I take advantage of you by anyone of those whom I have sent to you?

I exhorted Titus, and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus take any advantage of you? Didn’t we walk in the same spirit? Didn’t we walk in the same steps?

Again, do you think that we are excusing ourselves to you? In the sight of God we speak in Christ. But all things, beloved, are for your edifying.

For I am afraid that perhaps when I come, I might find you not the way I want to, and that I might be found by you as you don’t desire, that perhaps there would be strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, whisperings, proud thoughts, or riots,

that again when I come my God would humble me before you, and I would mourn for many of those who have sinned before now, and not repented of the uncleanness, sexual immorality, and lustfulness which they committed.