2 Corinthians 12:4

was caught up into paradise ¹  and heard things too sacred to be put into words, ²  things that a person ³  is not permitted to speak.

was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell.

was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak.

But I do know that I was caught up into paradise and heard things so astounding that they cannot be told.

How he was taken up into Paradise, and words came to his ears which may not be said, and which man is not able to say.

was caught up into Paradise and heard things that are not to be told, that no mortal is permitted to repeat.

how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

was caught up into paradise ¹  and heard things too sacred to be put into words, ²  things that a person ³  is not permitted to speak.

¹ sn In the NT, paradise is mentioned three times. In Luke 23:43 it refers to the abode of the righteous dead. In Rev 2:7 it refers to the restoration of Edenic paradise predicted in Isa 51:3 and Ezek 36:35. The reference here in 2 Cor 12:4 is probably to be translated as parallel to the mention of the “third heaven” in v. 2. Assuming that the “first heaven” would be atmospheric heaven (the sky) and “second heaven” the more distant stars and planets, “third heaven” would refer to the place where God dwells. This is much more likely than some variation on the seven heavens mentioned in the pseudepigraphic book 2 Enoch and in other nonbiblical and rabbinic works.

² tn Or “things that cannot be put into words.”

³ tn Grk “a man.”