2Cor 12 | ESV | STEP | 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 .

1 I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and ^arevelations of the Lord. 2 I know a man ^bin Christ who fourteen years ago was ^ccaught up to ^dthe third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, ^eGod knows. 3 And I know that this man was caught up into ^fparadise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, ^gGod 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, ^hexcept of my weaknesses— 6 though if I should wish to boast, ⁱI 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 ^jto keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, ^{▼▼Or hears from me, even because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations. So to keep me from becoming conceited} ^la thorn was given me in the flesh, ^ma messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8 ⁿThree times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, ^o“My grace is sufficient for you, for ^pmy power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that ^qthe power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 ^rFor the sake of Christ, then, ^sI am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For ^twhen I am weak, then I am strong.

Concern for the Corinthian Church

11 ^uI have been a fool! You forced me to it, for I ought to have been commended by you. For I was ^vnot at all inferior to these super-apostles, ^weven though I am nothing. 12 ^xThe signs of a true apostle were performed among you ^ywith 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 ^zI myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong!

14 Here ^aafor the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be a burden, for ^abI seek not what is yours but you. For ^acchildren are not obligated to save up for their parents, but ^adparents for their children. 15 ^aeI will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If ^afI love you more, am I to be loved less? 16 But granting that ^agI 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 ^ahthrough any of those whom I sent to you? 18 ^aiI urged Titus to go, and sent ^ajthe 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 ^akin the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ, and ^alall for your upbuilding, beloved. 20 For I fear that perhaps ^amwhen 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 ^anwho sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, ^aosexual immorality, and sensuality that they have practiced.