2 Corinthians 11:22-12:10

Darby Translation

²² Are they Hebrews? *I* also. Are they Israelites? *I* also. Are they seed of Abraham? *I* also.

²³ Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as being beside myself) *I* above measure [so]; in labours exceedingly abundant, in stripes to excess, in prisons exceedingly abundant, in deaths oft.

²⁴ From the Jews five times have I received forty [stripes], save one.

²⁵ Thrice have I been scourged, once I have been stoned, three times I have suffered shipwreck, a night and day I passed in the deep:

²⁶ in journeyings often, in perils of rivers, in perils of robbers, in perils from [my own] race, in perils from [the] nations, in perils in [the] city, in perils in [the] desert, in perils on [the] sea, in perils among false brethren;

²⁷ in labour and toil, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

²⁸ Besides those things that are without, the crowd [of cares] pressing on me daily, the burden of all the assemblies.

²⁹ Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is stumbled, and I burn not?

³⁰ If it is needful to boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity.

³¹ The God and Father of the Lord Jesus knows—he who is blessed for ever—that I do not lie.

³² In Damascus the ethnarch of Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes shut up, wishing to take me;

³³ and through a window in a basket I was let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.

12 Well, it is not of profit to me to boast, for I will come to visions and revelations of [the] Lord.

² I know a man in Christ, fourteen years ago, (whether in [the] body I know not, or out of the body I know not, God knows;) such [a one] caught up to [the] third heaven.

³ And I know such a man, (whether in [the] body or out of the body I know not, God knows;)

⁴ that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable things said which it is not allowed to man to utter.

⁵ Of such [a one] I will boast, but of myself I will not boast, unless in my weaknesses.

⁶ For if I shall desire to boast, I shall not be a fool; for I will say [the] truth; but I forbear, lest any one should think as to me above what he sees me [to be], or whatever he may hear of me.

⁷ And that I might not be exalted by the exceeding greatness of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn for the flesh, a messenger of Satan that he might buffet me, that I might not be exalted.

⁸ For this I thrice besought the Lord that it might depart from me.

⁹ And he said to me, My grace suffices thee; for [my] power is perfected in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather boast in my weaknesses, that the power of the Christ may dwell upon me.

¹⁰ Wherefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in insults, in necessities, in persecutions, in straits, for Christ: for when I am weak, then I am powerful.