12:1 I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord.

12:2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know--God knows.

12:3 And I know that this man--whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows--

12:4 was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell.

12:5 I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses.

12:6 Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say.

12:7 To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.

12:8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.

12:9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

12:10 That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

12:11 I have made a fool of myself, but you drove me to it. I ought to have been commended by you, for I am not in the least inferior to the "super-apostles," even though I am nothing.

12:12 The things that mark an apostle--signs, wonders and miracles--were done among you with great perseverance.

12:13 How were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was never a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!

12:14 Now I am ready to visit you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not your possessions but you. After all, children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.

12:15 So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well. If I love you more, will you love me less?

12:16 Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you. Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery!

12:17 Did I exploit you through any of the men I sent you?

12:18 I urged Titus to go to you and I sent our brother with him. Titus did not exploit you, did he? Did we not act in the same spirit and follow the same course?

12:19 Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? We have been speaking in the sight of God as those in Christ; and everything we do, dear friends, is for your strengthening.

12:20 For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder.

12:21 I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery in which they have indulged.