Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities.
Parallel translations
- WEB On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in my weaknesses.
- KJV Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.
- BSB I will boast about such a man, but I will not boast about myself, except in my weaknesses.
- NASB In behalf of such a man I will boast; but in my own behalf I will not boast, except regarding my weaknesses.
- NLT That experience is worth boasting about, but I’m not going to do it. I will boast only about my weaknesses.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Paul will boast on behalf of 'such a one' but of himself only in his weaknesses. It matters because he refuses to take personal credit for the revelation, glorying instead in his frailty.
Overview
Continuing the third-person distance, Paul separates the privileged experience from his own boastable record. The only thing he will claim for himself is weakness. This deliberate self-lowering keeps the focus on God's grace rather than human achievement, the heartbeat of the entire passage.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 3
- 2 Cor 11:30If I must boast, I will boast of the things that concern my weakness.
- 1 Cor 2:3I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.
- 2 Cor 12:9–10He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
In Christ all God's promises are 'Yes and Amen'; though rich, he became poor to make us rich, and in him God reconciles the world, making us new creations.
How 2 Corinthians 12:5 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.