Paul’s Revelation

1  Καυχᾶσθαι (To boast) δεῖ (it is necessary)· οὐ (not) συμφέρον (it is profitable) μέν (indeed), ἐλεύσομαι (I will go) δὲ (however) εἰς (to) ὀπτασίας (visions) καὶ (and) ἀποκαλύψεις (revelations) Κυρίου (of the Lord). 2  οἶδα (I know) ἄνθρωπον (a man) ἐν (in) Χριστῷ (Christ) πρὸ (ago) ἐτῶν (years) δεκατεσσάρων (fourteen),—εἴτε (whether) ἐν (in) σώματι (the body) οὐκ (not) οἶδα (I know), εἴτε (or) ἐκτὸς (out of) τοῦ (the) σώματος (body) οὐκ (not) οἶδα (I know), ὁ (-) Θεὸς (God) οἶδεν (knows),—ἁρπαγέντα (having been caught up) τὸν (-) τοιοῦτον (such a man) ἕως (to) τρίτου (the third) οὐρανοῦ (heaven). 3  καὶ (And) οἶδα (I know) τὸν (-) τοιοῦτον (such) ἄνθρωπον (a man)—εἴτε (whether) ἐν (in) σώματι (the body) εἴτε (or) χωρὶς (apart from) τοῦ (the) σώματος (body) οὐκ (not) οἶδα (I know), ὁ (-) Θεὸς (God) οἶδεν (knows),— 4  ὅτι (that) ἡρπάγη (he was caught up) εἰς (into) τὸν (-) Παράδεισον (Paradise) καὶ (and) ἤκουσεν (he heard) ἄρρητα (inexpressible) ῥήματα (words) ἃ (-) οὐκ (not) ἐξὸν (being permitted) ἀνθρώπῳ (to man) λαλῆσαι (to speak).

Paul’s Thorn and God’s Grace

5  Ὑπὲρ (On behalf of) τοῦ (-) τοιούτου (such a man) καυχήσομαι (I will boast), ὑπὲρ (on behalf of) δὲ (however) ἐμαυτοῦ (myself) οὐ (not) καυχήσομαι (I will boast) εἰ (if) μὴ (not) ἐν (in) ταῖς (the) ἀσθενείαις (weaknesses). 6  ἐὰν (If) γὰρ (for) θελήσω (I should want) καυχήσασθαι (to boast), οὐκ (not) ἔσομαι (I will be) ἄφρων (a fool), ἀλήθειαν (the truth) γὰρ (for) ἐρῶ (I will be speaking)· φείδομαι (I refrain) δέ (however), μή (lest) τις (anyone) εἰς (to) ἐμὲ (me) λογίσηται (should reckon) ὑπὲρ (above) ὃ (what) βλέπει (he sees) με (in me) ἢ (or) ἀκούει (he hears) τι (anything) ἐξ (of) ἐμοῦ (me) 7  καὶ (and) τῇ (the) ὑπερβολῇ (surpassingness) τῶν (of the) ἀποκαλύψεων (revelations).

Διὸ (Therefore) ἵνα (so that) μὴ (not) ὑπεραίρωμαι (I should not be over-exalted), ἐδόθη (was given) μοι (to me) σκόλοψ (a thorn) τῇ (in my) σαρκί (flesh), ἄγγελος (a messenger) Σατανᾶ (of Satan), ἵνα (that) με (me) κολαφίζῃ (he might buffet), ἵνα (so that) μὴ (not) ὑπεραίρωμαι (I should not be over-exalted). 8  ὑπὲρ (For) τούτου (this) τρὶς (three times) τὸν (the) Κύριον (Lord) παρεκάλεσα (I entreated), ἵνα (that) ἀποστῇ (it might depart) ἀπ’ (from) ἐμοῦ (me). 9  καὶ (And) εἴρηκέν (He has said) μοι (to me)· Ἀρκεῖ (Suffices) σοι (for you) ἡ (the) χάρις (grace) μου (of Me)· ἡ (the) γὰρ (for) δύναμις (power) ἐν (in) ἀσθενείᾳ (weakness) τελεῖται (is perfected). Ἥδιστα (Most gladly) οὖν (therefore) μᾶλλον (rather) καυχήσομαι (I will boast) ἐν (in) ταῖς (the) ἀσθενείαις (weaknesses) μου (of me), ἵνα (so that) ἐπισκηνώσῃ (may rest) ἐπ’ (upon) ἐμὲ (me) ἡ (the) δύναμις (power) τοῦ (-) Χριστοῦ (of Christ). 10  διὸ (Therefore) εὐδοκῶ (I am well pleased) ἐν (in) ἀσθενείαις (weaknesses), ἐν (in) ὕβρεσιν (insults), ἐν (in) ἀνάγκαις (hardships), ἐν (in) διωγμοῖς (persecutions) καὶ (and) στενοχωρίαις (difficulties), ὑπὲρ (for) Χριστοῦ (Christ)· ὅταν (when) γὰρ (for) ἀσθενῶ (I may be weak), τότε (then) δυνατός (powerful) εἰμι (I am).

Paul’s Concern for the Corinthians

11  Γέγονα (I have become) ἄφρων (a fool)· ὑμεῖς (you⁺) με (me) ἠναγκάσατε (compelled). ἐγὼ (I) γὰρ (for) ὤφειλον (ought) ὑφ’ (by) ὑμῶν (you⁺) συνίστασθαι (to have been commended). οὐδὲν (In nothing) γὰρ (for) ὑστέρησα (was I lacking) τῶν (to the)· Ὑπερλίαν (most eminent) ἀποστόλων (apostles), εἰ (if) καὶ (even) οὐδέν (nothing) εἰμι (I am). 12  τὰ (The) μὲν (indeed) σημεῖα (signs) τοῦ (of the) ἀποστόλου (apostle) κατειργάσθη (were performed) ἐν (among) ὑμῖν (you⁺) ἐν (in) πάσῃ (all) ὑπομονῇ (perseverance), σημείοις (in signs) τε (both) καὶ (and) τέρασιν (wonders) καὶ (and) δυνάμεσιν (miracles). 13  τί (In what) γάρ (for) ἐστιν (is it) ὃ (that) ἡσσώθητε (you⁺ were inferior) ὑπὲρ (beyond) τὰς (the) λοιπὰς (rest) ἐκκλησίας (of the churches), εἰ (if) μὴ (not) ὅτι (that) αὐτὸς (myself) ἐγὼ (I) οὐ (not) κατενάρκησα (burdened) ὑμῶν (you⁺)? χαρίσασθέ (Forgive) μοι (me) τὴν (the) ἀδικίαν (wrong) ταύτην (this).

14  Ἰδοὺ (Behold) τρίτον (third time) τοῦτο (this) ἑτοίμως (ready) ἔχω (I am) ἐλθεῖν (to come) πρὸς (to) ὑμᾶς (you⁺), καὶ (and) οὐ (not) καταναρκήσω (I will be a burden)· οὐ (not) γὰρ (for) ζητῶ (I seek) τὰ (what is) ὑμῶν (yours⁺) ἀλλὰ (but) ὑμᾶς (you⁺). οὐ (Not) γὰρ (for) ὀφείλει (ought) τὰ (the) τέκνα (children) τοῖς (for the) γονεῦσιν (parents) θησαυρίζειν (to treasure up), ἀλλὰ (but) οἱ (the) γονεῖς (parents) τοῖς (for the) τέκνοις (children). 15  ἐγὼ (I) δὲ (now) ἥδιστα (most gladly) δαπανήσω (will spend) καὶ (and) ἐκδαπανηθήσομαι (will be utterly spent) ὑπὲρ (for) τῶν (the) ψυχῶν (souls) ὑμῶν (of you⁺). εἰ (If) περισσοτέρως (more abundantly) ὑμᾶς (you⁺) ἀγαπῶν (loving), ἧσσον (less) ἀγαπῶμαι (am I loved)?

16  Ἔστω (Be it so) δέ (however), ἐγὼ (I) οὐ (not) κατεβάρησα (burdened) ὑμᾶς (you⁺)· ἀλλὰ (but) ὑπάρχων (being) πανοῦργος (crafty) δόλῳ (by trickery) ὑμᾶς (you⁺) ἔλαβον (I took). 17  μή (Not) τινα (any) ὧν (of whom) ἀπέσταλκα (I have sent) πρὸς (to) ὑμᾶς (you⁺), δι’ (by) αὐτοῦ (him) ἐπλεονέκτησα (did I take advantage of) ὑμᾶς (you⁺)? 18  παρεκάλεσα (I exhorted) Τίτον (Titus to go) καὶ (and) συναπέστειλα (sent with him) τὸν (the) ἀδελφόν (brother)· μήτι (Not) ἐπλεονέκτησεν (took advantage of) ὑμᾶς (you⁺) Τίτος (Titus)? οὐ (Not) τῷ (in the) αὐτῷ (same) Πνεύματι (Spirit) περιεπατήσαμεν (did we walk)? οὐ (Not) τοῖς (in the) αὐτοῖς (same) ἴχνεσιν (footsteps)?

19  Πάλαι (All along) δοκεῖτε (do you⁺ think) ὅτι (that) ὑμῖν (to you⁺) ἀπολογούμεθα (we are making a defense). κατέναντι (Before) Θεοῦ (God) ἐν (in) Χριστῷ (Christ) λαλοῦμεν (we speak)· τὰ (-) δὲ (and) πάντα (all things), ἀγαπητοί (beloved), ὑπὲρ (for) τῆς (-) ὑμῶν (your⁺) οἰκοδομῆς (edification). 20  φοβοῦμαι (I fear) γὰρ (for) μή (lest) πως (somehow) ἐλθὼν (having come) οὐχ (not) οἵους (such as) θέλω (I wish) εὕρω (I might find) ὑμᾶς (you⁺), κἀγὼ (and I) εὑρεθῶ (might be found) ὑμῖν (by you⁺) οἷον (such as) οὐ (not) θέλετε (you⁺ wish), μή (lest) πως (somehow there is) ἔρις (strife), ζῆλος (jealousy), θυμοί (rage), ἐριθεῖαι (rivalries), καταλαλιαί (slander), ψιθυρισμοί (gossip), φυσιώσεις (conceit), ἀκαταστασίαι (disorder)· 21  μὴ (lest) πάλιν (again) ἐλθόντος (having come) μου (of me) ταπεινώσῃ (should humble) με (me) ὁ (the) Θεός (God) μου (of me) πρὸς (as to) ὑμᾶς (you⁺), καὶ (and) πενθήσω (I should mourn) πολλοὺς (many) τῶν (of those) προημαρτηκότων (having before sinned) καὶ (and) μὴ (not) μετανοησάντων (having repented) ἐπὶ (of) τῇ (the) ἀκαθαρσίᾳ (impurity) καὶ (and) πορνείᾳ (sexual immorality) καὶ (and) ἀσελγείᾳ (sensuality) ᾗ (that) ἔπραξαν (they have practiced).