Murdock - II Corinthians - 12

12:1  Glorying must be, but it is not profitable: so I proceed to visions and revelations of our Lord.

12:2  I knew a man in the Messiah fourteen years ago, (but whether in a body, or whether out of a body, I know not; God knoweth :) who was caught up to the third region of heaven.

12:3  And I knew this same man; (but whether in a body, or out of a body, I know not; God knoweth ;)

12:4  and he was caught up to Paradise, and heard ineffable words, which it is not permitted a man to utter.

12:5  Of him I will glory: but of myself I will not glory, except in my infirmities.

12:6  Yet if I were disposed to glory, I should not be without reason; for I declare the truth. But I refrain, lest any one should think of me, beyond what he seeth in me and heareth from me.

12:7  And, that I might not be uplifted by the excellency of the revelations, there was imparted to me a thorn in my flesh, the angel of Satan, to buffet me, that I might not be uplifted.

12:8  Respecting this, I thrice besought my Lord, that it might depart from me.

12:9  And he said to me, My grace is sufficient for thee; for my power is perfected in weakness. Gladly, therefore, will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of the Messiah may rest upon me.

12:10  Therefore I have pleasure in infirmities, in reproach, in afflictions, in persecutions, in distresses, which are for the Messiah's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

12:11  Behold, I have become foolish in my glorying, for ye compelled me. For ye ought to bear witness for me; because I was inferior in nothing to those legates who most excel, although I was nothing.

12:12  I wrought among you the signs of the legates, with all patience; and in prodigies, and in wonders, and in mighty deeds.

12:13  For in what fell ye short of the other churches; except in this, that I was not burdensome to you? Forgive me this fault.

12:14  Behold, this third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not burden you; for I seek not yours, but you: for children ought not to lay up treasures for the parents, but the parents for their children.

12:15  And cheerfully will I both pay my expenses, and also give myself for your souls; although the more I love you, the less ye love me.

12:16  But perhaps, though I was not burdensome to you, yet, like a cunning man, I filched from you by craftiness!

12:17  Was it by the hand of some other person whom I sent to you, that I pilfered from you?

12:18  I requested Titus, and with him I sent the brethren: did Titus pilfer any thing from you? Did we not walk in one spirit, and in the same steps?

12:19  Do ye again suppose, that we would apologize to you? Before God, in the Messiah we speak: and all these things, my beloved, are for the sake of your edification.

12:20  For I fear, lest I should come to you and not find you such as I would wish; and lest I also should be found by you, such as ye would not wish; lest there should be contention, and envying, and anger, and obstinacy, and slandering, and murmuring, and insolence, and commotion;

12:21  lest, when I come to you, my God should humble me; and I should mourn over many, who have sinned, and have not repented of the impurity, the whoredom, and the lasciviousness, which they have committed.