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2 Corinthians 12

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📖 2 Corinthians introduction

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1It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord: ✦ 2I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven. ✦ 3And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— 4how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. ✦ 5Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities. ✦ 6For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me. ✦ 7And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. ✦ 8Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. ✦ 9And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ✦ 10Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. ✦ 11I have become a fool in boasting; you have compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you; for in nothing was I behind the most eminent apostles, though I am nothing. ✦ 12Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds. ✦ 13For what is it in which you were inferior to other churches, except that I myself was not burdensome to you? Forgive me this wrong! ✦ 14Now for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be burdensome to you; for I do not seek yours, but you. For the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. ✦ 15And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved. ✦ 16But be that as it may, I did not burden you. Nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you by cunning! ✦ 17Did I take advantage of you by any of those whom I sent to you? ✦ 18I urged Titus, and sent our brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same steps? ✦ 19Again, do you think that we excuse ourselves to you? We speak before God in Christ. But we do all things, beloved, for your edification. ✦ 20For I fear lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish, and that I shall be found by you such as you do not wish; lest there be contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, backbitings, whisperings, conceits, tumults; ✦ 21lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and I shall mourn for many who have sinned before and have not repented of the uncleanness, fornication, and lewdness which they have practiced. ✦

Tap any verse for its study page. Underlined terms mark a concept, person, or place; ✦ marks verses with cross-references.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Where this chapter connects

2 Cor 12 ·202 Cor 11 ·172 Cor 10 ·91 Cor 4 ·82 Cor 13 ·82 Cor 1 ·82 Cor 7 ·71 Th 2 ·7

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 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.

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    A clear ~10-minute audio teaching for every one of the Bible's 1,189 chapters — the most systematic free way to study chapter by chapter.

Pastoral

  • SermonChuck Smith — C2000 SeriesChuck Smith · Free · evangelical

    Free verse-by-verse audio through the entire Bible from the founder of Calvary Chapel.

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