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Chapter 12 |
| 1 |
It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and
revelations of the Lord. |
| 2 |
I 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. |
|
3 | And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body,
I cannot tell: God knoweth;) |
| 4
| How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words,
which it is not lawful for a man to utter. |
| 5 | Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not
glory, but in mine infirmities. |
| 6
| For 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. |
|
7 | And 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. |
| 8 | For this thing
I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. |
| 9 | And 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. |
| 10 |
Therefore 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. |
| 11 | I 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. |
| 12 | Truly the
signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and
wonders, and mighty deeds. |
| 13
| For 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. |
| 14 | Behold, the third time I am ready
to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not your's but
you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for
the children. |
| 15 | And I
will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love
you, the less I be loved. |
| 16 |
But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught
you with guile. |
| 17 | Did I
make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you? |
| 18 | I 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? |
| 19 |
Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in
Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying. |
| 20 | For 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: |
|
21 | And 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. |
