2 Corinthians 12 | English Standard Version

English Standard Version

Paul’s Visions and His Thorn

1 I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. (Ga 1:12; Ga 2:2; Eph 3:3) 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. (Ps 148:4; Eze 8:3; Ac 8:39; 2Co 5:17; 2Co 11:11; 2Co 12:3; 1Th 4:17; Re 12:5)

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3 And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— (Ge 2:8; Lu 23:43; 2Co 12:2; Re 2:7)

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4 and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. 5 On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses— (1Co 2:3) 6 though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. (2Co 5:13; 2Co 11:16; 2Co 12:11)

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7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations,^[1] a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. (Nu 33:55; Eze 28:24; Lu 13:16; 1Co 5:5; 2Co 10:10)

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8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. (Mt 26:44) 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 of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (Isa 40:29; Isa 43:2; 1Co 2:5; Php 4:13)

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10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (Mt 5:11; Ro 5:3; 2Co 5:15; 2Co 13:4)

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Concern for the Corinthian Church

11 I have been a fool! You forced me to it, for I ought to have been commended by you. For I was not at all inferior to these super-apostles, even though I am nothing. (1Co 3:7; 1Co 15:9; 1Co 15:10; 2Co 11:5; 2Co 12:6)

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12 The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works. (Ro 15:19; 1Co 9:1; 2Co 6:4) 13 For in what were you less favored than the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong! (Ac 20:33; 1Co 9:12) 14 Here for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be a burden, for I seek not what is yours but you. For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. (Pr 19:14; Eze 34:2; 1Co 4:14; 1Co 10:24; 1Co 10:33; 2Co 1:15; 2Co 13:1; 2Co 13:2)

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15 I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less? (2Co 1:6; 2Co 6:11; Php 2:17; Col 1:24; 1Th 2:8; 2Ti 2:10)

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16 But granting that I myself did not burden you, I was crafty, you say, and got the better of you by deceit. (2Co 11:9) 17 Did I take advantage of you through any of those whom I sent to you? (2Co 9:5) 18 I urged Titus to go, and sent the brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not act in the same spirit? Did we not take the same steps? (2Co 8:6; 2Co 8:18) 19 Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? It is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ, and all for your upbuilding, beloved. (Ro 1:9; Ro 9:1; 1Co 14:26) 20 For I fear that perhaps when I come I may find you not as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish—that perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder. (1Co 4:21; 2Co 2:1) 21 I fear that when I come again my God may humble me before you, and I may have to mourn over many of those who sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality that they have practiced. (1Co 5:1; 1Co 6:18; 2Co 13:2; Re 2:21)

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الكتاب المقدس

رؤيا بولس وشوكته

1 أَجَلْ، إِنَّ الافْتِخَارَ لَا يَنْفَعُنِي شَيْئاً؛ وَلَكِنْ سَأَنْتَقِلُ إِلَى مَا كَشَفَهُ لِيَ الرَّبُّ مِنْ رُؤى وَإِعْلانَاتٍ. 2 أَعْرِفُ إِنْسَاناً فِي الْمَسِيحِ، خُطِفَ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ الثَّالِثَةِ قَبْلَ أَرْبَعَ عَشْرَةَ سَنَةً: أَكَانَ ذَلِكَ بِجَسَدِهِ؟ لَا أَعْلَمُ؛ أَمْ كَانَ بِغَيْرِ جَسَدِهِ؟ لَا أَعْلَمُ. اللهُ يَعْلَمُ! 3 وَأَنَا أَعْرِفُ أَنَّ هَذَا الإِنْسَانَ، أَبِجَسَدِهِ أَمْ بِغَيْرِ جَسَدِهِ؟ لَا أَعْلَمُ؛ اللهُ يَعْلَمُ؛ 4 قَدْ خُطِفَ إِلَى الْفِرْدَوْسِ، حَيْثُ سَمِعَ أُمُوراً مُدْهِشَةً تَفُوقُ الْوَصْفَ وَلا يَحِقُّ لإِنْسَانٍ أَنْ يَنْطِقَ بِها. 5 بِهَذَا أَفْتَخِرُ! وَلَكِنِّي لَا أَفْتَخِرُ بِمَا يَخُصُّنِي شَخْصِيًّا إِلّا إِذَا كَانَ يَتَعَلَّقُ بِأُمُورِ ضَعْفِي. 6 فَلَوْ أَرَدْتُ الافْتِخَارَ، لَا أَكُونُ غَبِيًّا، مَادُمْتُ أَقُولُ الْحَقَّ. إِلّا أَنِّي أَمْتَنِعُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ، لِئَلّا يَظُنَّ بِي أَحَدٌ فَوْقَ مَا يَرَانِي عَلَيْهِ أَوْ مَا يَسْمَعُهُ مِنِّي. 7 وَلِكَيْ لَا أَتَكَبَّرَ بِمَا لِهذِهِ الإِعْلانَاتِ مِنْ عَظَمَةٍ فَائِقَةٍ، أُعْطِيتُ شَوْكَةً فِي جَسَدِي كَأَنَّهَا رَسُولٌ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ يَلْطِمُنِي كَيْ لَا أَتَكَبَّرَ! 8 لأَجْلِ هَذَا تَضَرَّعْتُ إِلَى الرَّبِّ ثَلاثَ مَرَّاتٍ أَنْ يَنْزِعَهَا مِنِّي 9 فَقَالَ لِي: «نِعْمَتِي تَكْفِيكَ، لأَنَّ قُدْرَتِي تُكَمَّلُ فِي الضَّعْفِ!» فَأَنَا أَرْضَى بِأَنْ أَفْتَخِرَ مَسْرُوراً بِالضَّعَفَاتِ الَّتِي فِيَّ، لِكَيْ تُخَيِّمَ عَلَيَّ قُدْرَةُ الْمَسِيحِ. 10 فَلأَجْلِ الْمَسِيحِ، تَسُرُّنِي الضَّعَفَاتُ وَالإِهَانَاتُ وَالضِّيقَاتُ وَالاضْطِهَادَاتُ وَالصُّعُوبَاتُ، لأَنِّي حِينَمَا أَكُونُ ضَعِيفاً، فَحِينَئِذٍ أَكُونُ قَوِيًّا!

الاهتمام بالكورنثيين

11 هَا قَدْ صِرْتُ غَبِيًّا! وَلَكِنْ، أَنْتُمْ أَجْبَرْتُمُونِي! فَقَدْ كَانَ يَجِبُ أَنْ تَمْدَحُونِي أَنْتُمْ، لأَنِّي لَسْتُ مُتَخَلِّفاً فِي شَيْءٍ عَنْ أُولَئِكَ الرُّسُلِ الْمُتَفَوِّقِينَ، وَإِنْ لَمْ أكُنْ شَيْئاً. 12 إِنَّ الْعَلامَاتِ الَّتِي تُمَيِّزُ الرَّسُولَ أُجْرِيَتْ بَيْنَكُمْ فِي كُلِّ صَبْرٍ، مِنْ آيَاتٍ وَعَجَائِبَ وَمُعْجِزَاتٍ. 13 فَفِي أَيِّ مَجَالٍ كُنْتُمْ أَصْغَرَ قَدْراً مِنَ الْكَنَائِسِ الأُخْرَى إِلّا فِي أَنِّي لَمْ أَكُنْ عِبْئاً ثَقِيلاً عَلَيْكُمْ؟ اغْفِرُوا لِي هذِهِ الإِسَاءَةَ! 14 أَنَا مُسْتَعِدٌّ الآنَ أَنْ آتِيَ إِلَيْكُمْ مَرَّةً ثَالِثَةً، وَلَنْ أَكُونَ عِبْئاً ثَقِيلاً عَلَيْكُمْ. فَمَا أَسْعَى إِلَيْهِ لَيْسَ هُوَ مَا عِنْدَكُمْ بَلْ هُوَ أَنْتُمْ: لأَنَّهُ لَيْسَ عَلَى الأَوْلادِ أَنْ يُوَفِّرُوا لِوَالِدِيهِمْ، بَلْ عَلَى الْوَالِدِينَ أَنْ يُوَفِّرُوا لأَوْلادِهِمْ. 15 وَأَنَا، بِكُلِّ سُرُورٍ، أُنْفِقُ مَا عِنْدِي، بَلْ أُنْفِقُ نَفْسِي لأَجْلِ أَنْفُسِكُمْ، وَإِنْ كُنْتُ كُلَّمَا زَادَتْ مَحَبَّتِي أَلْقَى حُبّاً أَقَلَّ. 16 وَلَكِنْ، لِيَكُنْ كَذَلِكَ. (تَقُولُونَ) إِنِّي لَمْ أُثَقِّلْ عَلَيْكُمْ بِنَفْسِي، وَلَكِنِّي كُنْتُ مُحْتَالاً فَسَلَبْتُكُمْ بِمَكْرٍ. 17 هَلْ كَسَبْتُ مِنْكُمْ شَيْئاً بِأَحَدٍ مِنَ الَّذِينَ أَرْسَلْتُهُمْ إِلَيْكُمْ؟ 18 الْتَمَسْتُ مِنْ تِيطُسَ أَنْ يَتَوَجَّهَ إِلَيْكُمْ، وَأَرْسَلْتُ مَعَهُ ذَلِكَ الأَخَ، فَهَلْ غَنِمَ مِنْكُمْ تِيطُسُ شَيْئاً؟ أَلَمْ نَتَصَرَّفْ مَعَكُمْ، أَنَا وَتِيطُسُ، بِرُوحٍ وَاحِدٍ وَخَطَوَاتٍ وَاحِدَةٍ؟ 19 طَالَمَا كُنْتُمْ تَظُنُّونَ أَنَّنَا نُدَافِعُ عَنْ أَنْفُسِنَا عِنْدَكُمْ! وَلكِنَّنَا إِنَّمَا نَتَكَلَّمُ أَمَامَ اللهِ فِي الْمَسِيحِ. وَذَلِكَ كُلُّهُ، أَيُّهَا الأَحِبَّاءُ، لأَجْلِ بُنْيَانِكُمْ. 20 فَإِنِّي أَخْشَى أَنْ آتِيَ إِلَيْكُمْ فَأَجِدَكُمْ فِي حَالَةٍ لَا أُرِيدُهَا وَتَجِدُونِي فِي حَالَةٍ لَا تُرِيدُونَهَا! أَيْ أَنْ يَكُونَ بَيْنَكُمْ كَثِيرٌ مِنَ النِّزَاعِ وَالْحَسَدِ وَالْحِقْدِ وَالتَّحَزُّبِ وَالتَّجْرِيحِ وَالنَّمِيمَةِ وَالتَّكَبُّرِ وَالْبَلْبَلَةِ. 21 وَأَخْشَى أَنْ يَجْعَلَنِي إِلهِي ذَلِيلاً بَيْنَكُمْ عِنْدَ مَجِيئِي إِلَيْكُمْ مَرَّةً أُخْرَى، فَيَكُونُ حُزْنِي شَدِيداً عَلَى كَثِيرِينَ مِنَ الَّذِينَ أَخْطَأُوا قَبْلاً وَلَمْ يَتُوبُوا عَمَّا ارْتَكَبُوهُ مِنْ دَنَسٍ وَزِنىً وَفِسْقٍ!