The Daily Audio Bible

The vision and the thorn

12 I just have to boast—not that there’s anything to be gained by it; but I’ll go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. ² Someone I know in the Messiah, fourteen years ago (whether in the body or out of the body I don’t know, though God knows), was snatched up to the third heaven. ³ I know that this particular “Someone” (whether in the body or apart from the body I don’t know, God knows)— ⁴ this person was snatched up to paradise, and heard . . . words you can’t pronounce, which humans aren’t allowed to repeat. ⁵ I will boast of Someone like that, but I won’t boast of myself, except of my weaknesses. ⁶ If I did want to boast, you see, I wouldn’t be mad; I’d be speaking the truth. But I’m holding back, so that nobody will think anything of me except what they can see in me or hear from me, ⁷ even considering how remarkable the revelations were.

As a result, so that I wouldn’t become too exalted, a thorn was given to me in my flesh, a messenger from the satan, to keep stabbing away at me. ⁸ I prayed to the Lord three times about this, asking that it would be taken away from me, ⁹ and this is what he said to me: “My grace is enough for you; my power comes to perfection in weakness.” So I will be all the more pleased to boast of my weaknesses, so that the Messiah’s power may rest upon me. ¹⁰ So I’m delighted when I’m weak, insulted, in difficulties, persecuted and facing disasters, for the Messiah’s sake. When I’m weak, you see, then I am strong.