Parallel Bible results for "2 corinthians 12"

2 Corinthians 12

The Complete Jewish Bible CJB

1 I have to boast. There is nothing to be gained by it, but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord.

2 I know a man in union with the Messiah who fourteen years ago was snatched up to the third heaven; whether he was in the body or outside the body I don't know, God knows.

3 And I know that such a man - whether in the body or apart from the body I don't know, God knows -

4 was snatched into Gan-'Eden and heard things that cannot be put into words, things unlawful for a human being to utter.

5 About such a man I will boast; but about myself I will not boast, except in regard to my weaknesses.

6 If I did want to boast, I would not be foolish; because I would be speaking the truth. But, because of the extraordinary greatness of the revelations, I refrain, so that no one will think more of me than what my words or deeds may warrant.

7 Therefore, to keep me from becoming overly proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from the Adversary to pound away at me, so that I wouldn't grow conceited.

8 Three times I begged the Lord to take this thing away from me;

9 but he told me, "My grace is enough for you, for my power is brought to perfection in weakness." Therefore, I am very happy to boast about my weaknesses, in order that the Messiah's power will rest upon me.

10 Yes, I am well pleased with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions and difficulties endured on behalf of the Messiah; for it is when I am weak that I am strong.

11 I have behaved like a fool, but you forced me to do it - you who should have been commending me. For I am in no way inferior to the "super-emissaries," even if I am nothing.

12 The things that prove I am an emissary - signs, wonders and miracles - were done in your presence, despite what I had to endure.

13 Is there any way in which you have been behind any of the other congregations, other than in my not having been a burden to you? For this unfairness, please forgive me!

14 Look, I am ready this third time to come and visit you; and I will not be a burden to you; for it is not what you own that I want, but you! Children are not supposed to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.

15 And as for me, I will most gladly spend everything I have and be spent myself too for your sakes. If I love you more, am I to be loved less?

16 Let it be granted, then, that I was not a burden to you; but, crafty fellow that I am, I took you with trickery!

17 Was it perhaps through someone I sent you

18 that I took advantage of you? I urged Titus to go and sent the brother with him; Titus didn't take advantage of you, did he? Didn't we live by the same Spirit and show you the same path?

19 Perhaps you think that all this time we have been defending ourselves before you. No, we have been speaking in the sight of God, as those united with the Messiah should; and, my dear friends, it is all for your upbuilding.

20 For I am afraid of coming and finding you not the way I want you to be, and also of not being found the way you want me to be. I am afraid of finding quarreling and jealousy, anger and rivalry, slander and gossip, arrogance and disorder.

21 I am afraid that when I come again, my God may humiliate me in your presence, and that I will be grieved over many of those who sinned in the past and have not repented of the impurity, fornication and debauchery that they have engaged in.

The Bible in Basic English BBE

1 As it is necessary for me to take glory to myself, though it is not a good thing, I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

2 I have knowledge of a man in Christ, fourteen years back (if he was in the body, or out of the body, I am not able to say, but God only), who was taken up to the third heaven.

3 And I have knowledge of such a man (if he was in the body, or out of the body, I am not able to say, but God only),

4 How he was taken up into Paradise, and words came to his ears which may not be said, and which man is not able to say.

5 On account of such a one I will have glory: for myself I will take no glory, but only in my feeble body.

6 For if I had a desire to take credit to myself, it would not be foolish, for I would be saying what is true: but I will not, for fear that I might seem to any man more than he sees me to be, or has word from me that I am.

7 And because the revelations were so very great, in order that I might not be overmuch lifted up, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, one sent from Satan to give me pain.

8 And about this thing I made request to the Lord three times that it might be taken away from me.

9 And he said to me, My grace is enough for you, for my power is made complete in what is feeble. Most gladly, then, will I take pride in my feeble body, so that the power of Christ may be on me.

10 So I take pleasure in being feeble, in unkind words, in needs, in cruel attacks, in troubles, on account of Christ: for when I am feeble, then am I strong.

11 I have been forced by you to become foolish, though it was right for my praise to have come from you: for in no way was I less than the chief of the Apostles, though I am nothing.

12 Truly the signs of an Apostle were done among you in quiet strength, with wonders and acts of power.

13 For what is there in which you were made less than the other churches, but in the one thing that I was not a trouble to you? Let me have forgiveness for this wrong.

14 This is now the third time that I am ready to come to you; and I will not be a trouble to you: my desire is for you, not for your property: for it is not the children's business to make store for their fathers, but the fathers for the children.

15 And I will gladly give all I have for your souls. If I have the more love for you, am I to be loved the less?

16 But let it be so, that I was not a trouble to you myself; but (someone may say) being false, I took you with deceit.

17 Did I make a profit out of you by any of those whom I sent to you?

18 I gave orders to Titus, and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus make any profit out of you? were we not guided by the same Spirit, in the same ways?

19 It may seem to you that all this time we have been attempting to put ourselves in the right; but we are saying these things before God in Christ. For all things, dear brothers, are for your profit.

20 For I have a fear that, when I come, you may not be answering to my desire, and that I may not be answering to yours; that there may be fighting, hate, angry feeling, divisions, evil talk about others, secrets, thoughts of pride, outbursts against authority;

21 And that when I come again, my God may put me to shame among you, and I may have grief for those who have done wrong before and have had no regret for their unclean ways, and for the evil desires of the flesh to which they have given way.