2 Corinthians 12:5-12
12:5 On behalf of such an individual I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except about my weaknesses.
12:6 For even if I wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I would be telling 1 the truth, but I refrain from this so that no one may regard 2 me beyond what he sees in me or what he hears from me,
12:7 even because of the extraordinary character of the revelations. Therefore, 3 so that I would not become arrogant, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to trouble 4 me – so that I would not become arrogant. 5
12:8 I asked the Lord three times about this, that it would depart from me.
12:9 But 6 he said to me, “My grace is enough 7 for you, for my 8 power is made perfect 9 in weakness.” So then, I will boast most gladly 10 about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in 11 me.
12:10 Therefore I am content with 12 weaknesses, with insults, with troubles, with persecutions and difficulties 13 for the sake of Christ, for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.
The Signs of an Apostle
12:11 I have become a fool. You yourselves forced me to do it, for I should have been commended by you. For I lack nothing in comparison 14 to those “super-apostles,” even though I am nothing.
12:12 Indeed, the signs of an apostle were performed among you with great perseverance 15 by signs and wonders and powerful deeds. 16
1 tn Or “speaking.”
2 tn Or “may think of.”
3 tc Most mss (Ì46 D Ψ 1881 Ï) lack διό (dio, “Therefore”), but the widespread distribution and quality of mss which include it (א A B F G 0243 33 81 1175 1739 pc) argues for its authenticity. Internally, its case is equally strong in that its inclusion is grammatically rough (διό is hardly necessary to convey purpose, especially since Paul uses ἵνα [{ina, “so that”] next).
4 tn Or “to harass.”
5 tn The phrase “so that I might not become arrogant” is repeated here because it occurs in the Greek text two times in the verse. Although redundant, it is repeated because of the emphatic nature of its affirmation.
6 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” because of the contrast implicit in the context.
7 tn Or “is sufficient.”
8 tc The majority of later mss (א2 Ac D1 Ψ 0243 0278 33 1739 1881 Ï) as well as some versional witnesses include the pronoun “my” here, but the omission of the pronoun has excellent external support (Ì46vid א* A* B D* F G latt). Scribes probably added the pronoun for clarity, making the obvious referent explicit. This would also make “power” more parallel with “my grace.” Though the original text probably did not include “my,” scribes who added the word were following the sense of Paul’s statement.
tn The pronoun “my” was supplied in the translation to clarify the sense of Paul’s expression.
9 tn Or “my power comes to full strength.”
10 tn “Most gladly,” a comparative form used with superlative meaning and translated as such.
11 tn Or “may rest on.”
12 tn Or “I take delight in.”
13 tn Or “calamities.”
14 tn Or “I am in no way inferior.”
15 tn Or “patience,” “endurance.”
16 tn Or “and miracles.”