| King James Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. | 1Boasting is necessary. It is not profitable, but I will move on to visions and revelations of the Lord. |
| 2I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. | 2I know a man in Christ who was caught up into the third heaven 14 years ago. Whether he was in the body or out of the body, I don't know, God knows. |
| 3And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) | 3I know that this man--whether in the body or out of the body I don't know, God knows-- |
| 4How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. | 4was caught up into paradise. He heard inexpressible words, which a man is not allowed to speak. |
| 5Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. | 5I will boast about this person, but not about myself, except of my weaknesses. |
| 6For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. | 6For if I want to boast, I will not be a fool, because I will be telling the truth. But I will spare you, so that no one can credit me with something beyond what he sees in me or hears from me, |
| 7And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. | 7especially because of the extraordinary revelations. Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to torment me so I would not exalt myself. |
| 8For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. | 8Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times to take it away from me. |
| 9And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. | 9But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may reside in me. |
| 10Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. | 10So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, catastrophes, persecutions, and in pressures, because of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. |
| 11I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing. | 11I have become a fool; you forced it on me. I should have been endorsed by you, since I am not in any way inferior to the "super-apostles," even though I am nothing. |
| 12Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds. | 12The signs of an apostle were performed with great endurance among you--not only signs but also wonders and miracles. |
| 13For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong. | 13So in what way were you treated worse than the other churches, except that I personally did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong! |
| 14Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. | 14Now I am ready to come to you this third time. I will not burden you, for I am not seeking what is yours, but you. For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. |
| 15And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved. | 15I will most gladly spend and be spent for you. If I love you more, am I to be loved less? |
| 16But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile. | 16Now granted, I have not burdened you; yet sly as I am, I took you in by deceit! |
| 17Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you? | 17Did I take advantage of you by anyone I sent you? |
| 18I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus make a gain of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps? | 18I urged Titus to come, and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Didn't we walk in the same spirit and in the same footsteps? |
| 19Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying. | 19You have thought all along that we were defending ourselves to you. No, in the sight of God we are speaking in Christ, and everything, dear friends, is for building you up. |
| 20For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults: | 20For I fear that perhaps when I come I will not find you to be what I want, and I may not be found by you to be what you want; there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder. |
| 21And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed. | 21I fear that when I come my God will again humiliate me in your presence, and I will grieve for many who sinned before and have not repented of the moral impurity, sexual immorality, and promiscuity they practiced. |
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