Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.
Parallel translations
- WEB Concerning this thing, I begged the Lord three times that it might depart from me.
- KJV For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
- NKJV Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.
- NASB Concerning this I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might leave me.
- NLT Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away.
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 pleaded with the Lord three times to take the thorn away. It matters because it shows that earnest, repeated prayer for relief is right, even when the answer is no.
Overview
Paul does not stoically ignore his pain; he brings it honestly and persistently to Christ. The threefold appeal recalls Jesus' own threefold prayer in Gethsemane. Like his Lord, Paul learns to submit to a Father whose answer differs from his request yet serves a higher good.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Heb 5:7During the days of Jesus’ earthly life, He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the One who could save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverence.
- Matt 26:39–44Going a little farther, He fell facedown and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.”
- 1 Sam 15:11“I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned away from following Me and has not carried out My instructions.” And Samuel was distressed and cried out to the LORD all that night.
- Ps 77:2–11In the day of trouble I sought the Lord; through the night my outstretched hands did not grow weary; my soul refused to be comforted.
- 2 Sam 12:16–18David pleaded with God for the boy. He fasted and went into his house and spent the night lying in sackcloth on the ground.
- Matt 20:21–22“What do you want?” He inquired. She answered, “Declare that in Your kingdom one of these two sons of mine may sit at Your right hand, and the other at Your left.”
- Deut 3:23–27At that time I also pleaded with the LORD:
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 12:8 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.