GNT

1 καυχᾶσθαι δεῖ· οὐ συμφέρον μέν, ἐλεύσομαι δὲ εἰς ὀπτασίας καὶ ἀποκαλύψεις κυρίου.

2 οἶδα ἄνθρωπον ἐν χριστῶ πρὸ ἐτῶν δεκατεσσάρων _ εἴτε ἐν σώματι οὐκ οἶδα, εἴτε ἐκτὸς τοῦ σώματος οὐκ οἶδα, ὁ θεὸς οἶδεν _ ἁρπαγέντα τὸν τοιοῦτον ἕως τρίτου οὐρανοῦ.

3 καὶ οἶδα τὸν τοιοῦτον ἄνθρωπον _ εἴτε ἐν σώματι εἴτε χωρὶς τοῦ σώματος οὐκ οἶδα, ὁ θεὸς οἶδεν _

4 ὅτι ἡρπάγη εἰς τὸν παράδεισον καὶ ἤκουσεν ἄρρητα ῥήματα ἃ οὐκ ἐξὸν ἀνθρώπῳ λαλῆσαι.

5 ὑπὲρ τοῦ τοιούτου καυχήσομαι, ὑπὲρ δὲ ἐμαυτοῦ οὐ καυχήσομαι εἰ μὴ ἐν ταῖς ἀσθενείαις.

6 ἐὰν γὰρ θελήσω καυχήσασθαι, οὐκ ἔσομαι ἄφρων, ἀλήθειαν γὰρ ἐρῶ· φείδομαι δέ, μή τις εἰς ἐμὲ λογίσηται ὑπὲρ ὃ βλέπει με ἢ ἀκούει [τι] ἐξ ἐμοῦ

7 καὶ τῇ ὑπερβολῇ τῶν ἀποκαλύψεων. διό, ἵνα μὴ ὑπεραίρωμαι, ἐδόθη μοι σκόλοψ τῇ σαρκί, ἄγγελος σατανᾶ, ἵνα με κολαφίζῃ, ἵνα μὴ ὑπεραίρωμαι.

8 ὑπὲρ τούτου τρὶς τὸν κύριον παρεκάλεσα ἵνα ἀποστῇ ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ·

9 καὶ εἴρηκέν μοι, ἀρκεῖ σοι ἡ χάρις μου· ἡ γὰρ δύναμις ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ τελεῖται. ἥδιστα οὗν μᾶλλον καυχήσομαι ἐν ταῖς ἀσθενείαις μου, ἵνα ἐπισκηνώσῃ ἐπ᾽ ἐμὲ ἡ δύναμις τοῦ χριστοῦ.

10 διὸ εὐδοκῶ ἐν ἀσθενείαις, ἐν ὕβρεσιν, ἐν ἀνάγκαις, ἐν διωγμοῖς καὶ στενοχωρίαις, ὑπὲρ χριστοῦ· ὅταν γὰρ ἀσθενῶ, τότε δυνατός εἰμι.

11 γέγονα ἄφρων· ὑμεῖς με ἠναγκάσατε· ἐγὼ γὰρ ὤφειλον ὑφ᾽ ὑμῶν συνίστασθαι. οὐδὲν γὰρ ὑστέρησα τῶν ὑπερλίαν ἀποστόλων, εἰ καὶ οὐδέν εἰμι·

12 τὰ μὲν σημεῖα τοῦ ἀποστόλου κατειργάσθη ἐν ὑμῖν ἐν πάσῃ ὑπομονῇ, σημείοις τε καὶ τέρασιν καὶ δυνάμεσιν.

13 τί γάρ ἐστιν ὃ ἡσσώθητε ὑπὲρ τὰς λοιπὰς ἐκκλησίας, εἰ μὴ ὅτι αὐτὸς ἐγὼ οὐ κατενάρκησα ὑμῶν; χαρίσασθέ μοι τὴν ἀδικίαν ταύτην.

14 ἰδοὺ τρίτον τοῦτο ἑτοίμως ἔχω ἐλθεῖν πρὸς ὑμᾶς, καὶ οὐ καταναρκήσω· οὐ γὰρ ζητῶ τὰ ὑμῶν ἀλλὰ ὑμᾶς, οὐ γὰρ ὀφείλει τὰ τέκνα τοῖς γονεῦσιν θησαυρίζειν, ἀλλὰ οἱ γονεῖς τοῖς τέκνοις.

15 ἐγὼ δὲ ἥδιστα δαπανήσω καὶ ἐκδαπανηθήσομαι ὑπὲρ τῶν ψυχῶν ὑμῶν. εἰ περισσοτέρως ὑμᾶς ἀγαπῶ[ν], ἧσσον ἀγαπῶμαι;

16 ἔστω δέ, ἐγὼ οὐ κατεβάρησα ὑμᾶς· ἀλλὰ ὑπάρχων πανοῦργος δόλῳ ὑμᾶς ἔλαβον.

17 μή τινα ὧν ἀπέσταλκα πρὸς ὑμᾶς, δι᾽ αὐτοῦ ἐπλεονέκτησα ὑμᾶς;

18 παρεκάλεσα τίτον καὶ συναπέστειλα τὸν ἀδελφόν· μήτι ἐπλεονέκτησεν ὑμᾶς τίτος; οὐ τῶ αὐτῶ πνεύματι περιεπατήσαμεν; οὐ τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἴχνεσιν;

19 πάλαι δοκεῖτε ὅτι ὑμῖν ἀπολογούμεθα; κατέναντι θεοῦ ἐν χριστῶ λαλοῦμεν· τὰ δὲ πάντα, ἀγαπητοί, ὑπὲρ τῆς ὑμῶν οἰκοδομῆς.

20 φοβοῦμαι γὰρ μή πως ἐλθὼν οὐχ οἵους θέλω εὕρω ὑμᾶς, κἀγὼ εὑρεθῶ ὑμῖν οἷον οὐ θέλετε, μή πως ἔρις, ζῆλος, θυμοί, ἐριθείαι, καταλαλιαί, ψιθυρισμοί, φυσιώσεις, ἀκαταστασίαι·

21 μὴ πάλιν ἐλθόντος μου ταπεινώσῃ με ὁ θεός μου πρὸς ὑμᾶς, καὶ πενθήσω πολλοὺς τῶν προημαρτηκότων καὶ μὴ μετανοησάντων ἐπὶ τῇ ἀκαθαρσίᾳ καὶ πορνείᾳ καὶ ἀσελγείᾳ ᾗ ἔπραξαν.

KJV

1  It is not expedient^{4851 3756} for me³⁴²⁷ doubtless¹²¹¹ to glory.²⁷⁴⁴ I will¹⁰⁶³ come²⁰⁶⁴ to¹⁵¹⁹ visions³⁷⁰¹ and²⁵³² revelations⁶⁰² of the Lord.²⁹⁶²

2  I knew¹⁴⁹² a man⁴⁴⁴ in¹⁷²² Christ⁵⁵⁴⁷ above⁴²⁵³ fourteen¹¹⁸⁰ years²⁰⁹⁴ ago, (whether¹⁵³⁵ in¹⁷²² the body,⁴⁹⁸³ I cannot tell;^{1492 3756} or whether¹⁵³⁵ out¹⁶²² of the³⁵⁸⁸ body,⁴⁹⁸³ I cannot tell:^{1492 3756} God²³¹⁶ knoweth;)¹⁴⁹² such a one⁵¹⁰⁸ caught up⁷²⁶ to²¹⁹³ the third⁵¹⁵⁴ heaven.³⁷⁷²

3  And²⁵³² I knew¹⁴⁹² such⁵¹⁰⁸ a man,⁴⁴⁴ (whether¹⁵³⁵ in¹⁷²² the body,⁴⁹⁸³ or¹⁵³⁵ out¹⁶²² of the³⁵⁸⁸ body,⁴⁹⁸³ I cannot tell:^{1492 3756} God²³¹⁶ knoweth;)¹⁴⁹²

4  How that³⁷⁵⁴ he was caught up⁷²⁶ into¹⁵¹⁹ paradise,³⁸⁵⁷ and²⁵³² heard¹⁹¹ unspeakable⁷³¹ words,⁴⁴⁸⁷ which³⁷³⁹ it is not lawful^{1832 3756} for a man⁴⁴⁴ to utter.²⁹⁸⁰

5  Of⁵²²⁸ such a one⁵¹⁰⁸ will I glory:²⁷⁴⁴ yet¹¹⁶¹ of⁵²²⁸ myself¹⁶⁸³ I will not³⁷⁵⁶ glory,²⁷⁴⁴ but¹⁵⁰⁸ in¹⁷²² mine³⁴⁵⁰ infirmities.⁷⁶⁹

6  For¹⁰⁶³ though¹⁴³⁷ I would desire²³⁰⁹ to glory,²⁷⁴⁴ I shall not³⁷⁵⁶ be²⁰⁷¹ a fool;⁸⁷⁸ for¹⁰⁶³ I will say²⁰⁴⁶ the truth:²²⁵ but¹¹⁶¹ now I forbear,⁵³³⁹ lest³³⁶¹ any man⁵¹⁰⁰ should think³⁰⁴⁹ of¹⁵¹⁹ me¹⁶⁹¹ above⁵²²⁸ that³⁷³⁹ which he seeth⁹⁹¹ me³¹⁶⁵ to be, or²²²⁸ that he heareth^{191 5100} of¹⁵³⁷ me.¹⁷⁰⁰

7  And²⁵³² lest³³⁶³ I should be exalted above measure⁵²²⁹ through the³⁵⁸⁸ abundance⁵²³⁶ of the³⁵⁸⁸ revelations,⁶⁰² there was given¹³²⁵ to me³⁴²⁷ a thorn⁴⁶⁴⁷ in the³⁵⁸⁸ flesh,⁴⁵⁶¹ the messenger³² of Satan⁴⁵⁶⁶ to²⁴⁴³ buffet²⁸⁵² me,³¹⁶⁵ lest³³⁶³ I should be exalted above measure.⁵²²⁹

8  For⁵²²⁸ this thing⁵¹²⁷ I besought³⁸⁷⁰ the³⁵⁸⁸ Lord²⁹⁶² thrice,⁵¹⁵¹ that²⁴⁴³ it might depart⁸⁶⁸ from⁵⁷⁵ me.¹⁷⁰⁰

9  And²⁵³² he said²⁰⁴⁶ unto me,³⁴²⁷ My³⁴⁵⁰ grace⁵⁴⁸⁵ is sufficient⁷¹⁴ for thee:⁴⁶⁷¹ for¹⁰⁶³ my³⁴⁵⁰ strength¹⁴¹¹ is made perfect⁵⁰⁴⁸ in¹⁷²² weakness.⁷⁶⁹ Most gladly²²³⁶ therefore³⁷⁶⁷ will I rather³¹²³ glory²⁷⁴⁴ in¹⁷²² my³⁴⁵⁰ infirmities,⁷⁶⁹ that²⁴⁴³ the³⁵⁸⁸ power¹⁴¹¹ of Christ⁵⁵⁴⁷ may rest¹⁹⁸¹ upon¹⁹⁰⁹ me.¹⁶⁹¹

10  Therefore¹³⁵² I take pleasure²¹⁰⁶ in¹⁷²² infirmities,⁷⁶⁹ in¹⁷²² reproaches,⁵¹⁹⁶ in¹⁷²² necessities,³¹⁸ in¹⁷²² persecutions,¹³⁷⁵ in¹⁷²² distresses⁴⁷³⁰ for Christ's sake:^{5228 5547} for¹⁰⁶³ when³⁷⁵² I am weak,⁷⁷⁰ then⁵¹¹⁹ am¹⁵¹⁰ I strong.¹⁴¹⁵

11  I am become¹⁰⁹⁶ a fool⁸⁷⁸ in glorying;²⁷⁴⁴ ye⁵²¹⁰ have compelled³¹⁵ me:³¹⁶⁵ for¹⁰⁶³ I¹⁴⁷³ ought³⁷⁸⁴ to have been commended⁴⁹²¹ of⁵²⁵⁹ you:⁵²¹⁶ for¹⁰⁶³ in nothing³⁷⁶² am I behind⁵³⁰² the³⁵⁸⁸ very chiefest^{5228 3029} apostles,⁶⁵² though¹⁴⁹⁹ I be¹⁵¹⁰ nothing.³⁷⁶²

12  Truly³³⁰³ the³⁵⁸⁸ signs⁴⁵⁹² of an apostle⁶⁵² were wrought²⁷¹⁶ among¹⁷²² you⁵²¹³ in¹⁷²² all³⁹⁵⁶ patience,⁵²⁸¹ in¹⁷²² signs,⁴⁵⁹² and²⁵³² wonders,⁵⁰⁵⁹ and²⁵³² mighty deeds.¹⁴¹¹

13  For¹⁰⁶³ what⁵¹⁰¹ is²⁰⁷⁶ it wherein³⁷³⁹ ye were inferior²²⁷⁴ to⁵²²⁸ other³⁰⁶² churches,¹⁵⁷⁷ except¹⁵⁰⁸ it be that³⁷⁵⁴ I¹⁴⁷³ myself⁸⁴⁶ was not burdensome^{2655 3756} to you?⁵²¹⁶ forgive⁵⁴⁸³ me³⁴²⁷ this⁵⁰²⁶ wrong.⁹³

14  Behold,²⁴⁰⁰ the third time⁵¹⁵⁴ I am²¹⁹² ready²⁰⁹³ to come²⁰⁶⁴ to⁴³¹⁴ you;⁵²⁰⁹ and²⁵³² I will not³⁷⁵⁶ be burdensome²⁶⁵⁵ to you:⁵²¹⁶ for¹⁰⁶³ I seek²²¹² not³⁷⁵⁶ yours,⁵²¹⁶ but²³⁵ you:⁵²⁰⁹ for¹⁰⁶³ the³⁵⁸⁸ children⁵⁰⁴³ ought³⁷⁸⁴ not³⁷⁵⁶ to lay up²³⁴³ for the³⁵⁸⁸ parents,¹¹¹⁸ but²³⁵ the³⁵⁸⁸ parents¹¹¹⁸ for the³⁵⁸⁸ children.⁵⁰⁴³

15  And¹¹⁶¹ I¹⁴⁷³ will very gladly²²³⁶ spend¹¹⁵⁹ and²⁵³² be spent¹⁵⁵⁰ for⁵²²⁸ you;⁵²¹⁶ though¹⁴⁹⁹ the more abundantly⁴⁰⁵⁶ I love²⁵ you,⁵²⁰⁹ the less²²⁷⁶ I be loved.²⁵

16  But¹¹⁶¹ be²⁰⁷⁷ it so, I¹⁴⁷³ did not³⁷⁵⁶ burden²⁵⁹⁹ you:⁵²⁰⁹ nevertheless,²³⁵ being⁵²²⁵ crafty,³⁸³⁵ I caught²⁹⁸³ you⁵²⁰⁹ with guile.¹³⁸⁸

17  Did I^{1223 846} make a gain⁴¹²² of you⁵²⁰⁹ by³³⁶¹ any⁵¹⁰⁰ of them whom³⁷³⁹ I sent⁶⁴⁹ unto⁴³¹⁴ you?⁵²⁰⁹

18  I desired³⁸⁷⁰ Titus,⁵¹⁰³ and²⁵³² with him I sent⁴⁸⁸² a brother.⁸⁰ Did³³⁸⁷ Titus⁵¹⁰³ make a gain⁴¹²² of you?⁵²⁰⁹ walked⁴⁰⁴³ we not³⁷⁵⁶ in the³⁵⁸⁸ same⁸⁴⁶ spirit?⁴¹⁵¹ walked we not³⁷⁵⁶ in the³⁵⁸⁸ same⁸⁴⁶ steps?²⁴⁸⁷

19  Again,³⁸²⁵ think¹³⁸⁰ ye that³⁷⁵⁴ we excuse ourselves⁶²⁶ unto you?⁵²¹³ we speak²⁹⁸⁰ before²⁷¹⁴ God²³¹⁶ in¹⁷²² Christ:⁵⁵⁴⁷ but¹¹⁶¹ we do all things,³⁹⁵⁶ dearly beloved,²⁷ for⁵²²⁸ your⁵²¹⁶ edifying.³⁶¹⁹

20  For¹⁰⁶³ I fear,⁵³⁹⁹ lest³³⁸¹ when I come,²⁰⁶⁴ I shall not³⁷⁵⁶ find²¹⁴⁷ you⁵²⁰⁹ such³⁶³⁴ as I would,²³⁰⁹ and that I²⁵⁰⁴ shall be found²¹⁴⁷ unto you⁵²¹³ such as³⁶³⁴ ye would²³⁰⁹ not:³⁷⁵⁶ lest³³⁸¹ there be debates,²⁰⁵⁴ envyings,²²⁰⁵ wraths,²³⁷² strifes,²⁰⁵² backbitings,²⁶³⁶ whisperings,⁵⁵⁸⁷ swellings,⁵⁴⁵⁰ tumults:¹⁸¹

21  And lest,³³⁶¹ when I come²⁰⁶⁴ again,³⁸²⁵ my³⁴⁵⁰ God²³¹⁶ will humble⁵⁰¹³ me³¹⁶⁵ among⁴³¹⁴ you,⁵²⁰⁹ and²⁵³² that I shall bewail³⁹⁹⁶ many⁴¹⁸³ which have sinned already,⁴²⁵⁸ and²⁵³² have not³³⁶¹ repented³³⁴⁰ of¹⁹⁰⁹ the³⁵⁸⁸ uncleanness¹⁶⁷ and²⁵³² fornication⁴²⁰² and²⁵³² lasciviousness⁷⁶⁶ which³⁷³⁹ they have committed.⁴²³⁸

Vul

1 Si gloriari oportet (non expedit quidem), veniam autem ad visiones et revelationes Domini.

2 Scio hominem in Christo ante annos quatuordecim, sive in corpore nescio, sive extra corpus nescio, Deus scit, raptum hujusmodi usque ad tertium cælum.

3 Et scio hujusmodi hominem sive in corpore, sive extra corpus nescio, Deus scit:

4 quoniam raptus est in paradisum: et audivit arcana verba, quæ non licet homini loqui.

5 Pro hujusmodi gloriabor: pro me autem nihil gloriabor nisi in infirmitatibus meis.

6 Nam etsi voluero gloriari, non ero insipiens: veritatem enim dicam: parco autem, ne quis me existimet supra id quod videt in me, aut aliquid audit ex me.

7 Et ne magnitudo revelationum extollat me, datus est mihi stimulus carnis meæ angelus Satanæ, qui me colaphizet.

8 Propter quod ter Dominum rogavi ut discederet a me:

9 et dixit mihi: Sufficit tibi gratia mea: nam virtus in infirmitate perficitur. Libenter igitur gloriabor in infirmitatibus meis, ut inhabitet in me virtus Christi.

10 Propter quod placeo mihi in infirmitatibus meis, in contumeliis, in necessitatibus, in persecutionibus, in angustiis pro Christo: cum enim infirmor, tunc potens sum.

11 Factus sum insipiens, vos me coëgistis. Ego enim a vobis debui commendari: nihil enim minus fui ab iis, qui sunt supra modum Apostoli: tametsi nihil sum:

12 signa tamen apostolatus mei facta sunt super vos in omni patientia, in signis, et prodigiis, et virtutibus.

13 Quid est enim, quod minus habuistis præ ceteris ecclesiis, nisi quod ego ipse non gravavi vos? donate mihi hanc injuriam.

14 Ecce tertio hoc paratus sum venire ad vos: et non ero gravis vobis. Non enim quæro quæ vestra sunt, sed vos. Nec enim debent filii parentibus thesaurizare, sed parentes filiis.

15 Ego autem libentissime impendam, et super impendar ipse pro animabus vestris: licet plus vos diligens, minus diligar.

16 Sed esto: ego vos non gravavi: sed cum essem astutus, dolo vos cepi.

17 Numquid per aliquem eorum, quod misi ad vos, circumveni vos?

18 Rogavi Titum, et misi cum illo fratrem. Numquid Titus vos circumvenit? nonne eodem spiritu ambulavimus? nonne iisdem vestigiis?

19 Olim putatis quod excusemus nos apud vos? coram Deo in Christo loquimur: omnia autem, carissimi, propter ædificationem vestram.

20 Timeo enim ne forte cum venero, non quales volo, inveniam vos: et ego inveniar a vobis, qualem non vultis: ne forte contentiones, æmulationes, animositates, dissensiones, detractiones, susurrationes, inflationes, seditiones sint inter vos:

21 ne iterum cum venero, humiliet me Deus apud vos, et lugeam multos ex iis qui ante peccaverunt, et non egerunt pœnitentiam super immunditia, et fornicatione, et impudicitia, quam gesserunt.