Chapter 12

¹I have to boast. There is nothing to be gained by it, but I will go on to visions and revelations given me by the Lord. ²I know of a man fourteen years ago—whether in the body or out of it, I do not know, God knows—being actually caught up to the third heaven. ³And I know that this man—I do not know whether it was in the body or out of it, God knows— ⁴was caught up into Paradise, and heard things that must not be told, which no human being can repeat. ⁵On this man’s account I am ready to boast, but about myself I will boast only of my weaknesses. ⁶Though if I do choose to boast, I will not be such a fool, for I will only be telling the truth. But I will refrain from it, for I do not want anyone to be influenced by the wonderful character of these revelations to think more of me than is justified by my words or conduct. ⁷So to keep me from being too much elated a bitter physical affliction was sent to me, a very messenger of Satan, to harass me, to keep me from being too much elated. ⁸Three times I have prayed to the Lord about this, begging that it might leave me, ⁹and he said to me, “My favor is enough for you, for only where there is weakness is perfect strength developed.”

So I am perfectly willing to boast of all my weakness, so that the strength of Christ may shelter me. ¹⁰That is why I am pleased with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and difficulties, when they are endured for Christ’s sake, for it is when I am weak that I am strong.

¹¹I have been making a fool of myself, but you forced me to do it, when you ought to have been expressing your approval of me. For I am not a bit inferior to your superfine apostles, even if I am nobody! ¹²The signs that mark a true apostle were most patiently shown when I was among you, in signs, wonders, and marvels. ¹³For what is there in which the other churches had the better of you, except in the fact that I would not permit myself to be a burden to you? You must forgive me that wrong!

¹⁴Here it is the third time that I have been ready to come to see you, and I do not intend to be a burden to you now; for it is not your money but yourselves that I want; for children are not expected to lay up money for their parents, but parents for their children. ¹⁵And I will be glad to spend all I have and all I am for your sake. Are you going to love me the less for loving you so intensely? ¹⁶But granting that I did not burden you myself, I was clever about it, you say, and took you in by a trick. ¹⁷Yet did I make anything out of you by anybody that I sent to you? ¹⁸I asked Titus to go and I sent his brother with him. Did Titus make anything out of you? Did not he and I act in the same spirit, and take the very same steps?

¹⁹Have you been supposing all along that it is before you I have been defending myself? It is in the sight of God and as a follower of Christ that I have been speaking. But it is all to do you good, dear friends, ²⁰for I am afraid that perhaps when I come I may find you not as I want to find you, and that you may find me not as you want to find me. I am afraid that perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, bad feeling, rivalry, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder, ²¹and that when I come back my God may humiliate me before you, and I may have to mourn over many who have kept on in their old sins and have never repented of the impurity, immorality, and sensuality in which they have indulged.