'[I] must2go onboasting.1Though5there isnothing3to be gained4by it,I will go on6to8visions9and10revelations11of the Lord.12 I know1a man2in3Christ4whofourteen7years6ago5was caught up22to25thethird26heaven27— whether8in9the body10or13out14of the15body16I do18not11know,12God20knows.21 And1I know2thatthis4man5was caught up into paradise— whether6in7thebody8or9out of10the11body12I do14not13know,14God16knows —17 was caught up2into3paradise5and6he heard7[things]9that cannot be told,8which10man13may12not11utter.14 On behalf of1this3man2I will boast,4but6on5my own7behalf5I will9not8boast,9except1011of12myweaknesses —14 though2if1I should wish3to boast,4I would6not5be6a fool,7for9I would be speaking10the truth;8but12I refrain11from it, so thatno13one14may think17moreof15me16than18he sees in20me21or22hears23from25me.26 So6to keep me from78becoming conceited9[because of] the2surpassing greatness3of the4revelations,5a thorn12was given10me11in the13flesh,14a messenger15of Satan16to harass1719me,18to keep me from2021becoming conceited.22 Three times3I pleaded6with the4Lord5about1this,2that7it should leave8me.10 But1he said2to me,3"My8grace7is sufficient4for you,5for10mypower11is made perfected14in12weakness"13Therefore16I will boast18all the more17gladly15of19my22weaknesses,21so that23the27power28of Christ30may rest24upon25me.26 For the sake of13Christ,14then,1I am content2with3weaknesses,4insults,6hardships,8persecutions,10and11calamities.12For16when15I am weak,17then18I am20strong.19 I have been1a fool!2You3forced5me4to it,for7I6ought8to have been commended11by9you.10For13I was14not at all12inferior14to these15super16-apostles,17even19though18I am21nothing.20 The1signs3of a4true2apostle5were performed6among7you8with9utmost10patience,11with9signs12and14wonders15and16mighty works.17 For2in what1were you less favored5than6the7rest8of the churches,9except1011that12I14myself13didnot15burden16you?17Forgive18me19this22wrong!21 [Here]1for thethird time2I am5ready4to come6to7you.8And9I will11not10be a burden,11for13I seek14not12what15isyours16but17you.18For20children23are21not19obligated21to save up26for [their] parents,25but27parents29for [their] children.31 I1will4most gladly3spend4and5be spent6for7your10souls.9If11[I] love14you13more,12am I to be loved16less?15 But2granting that1I myself3did5not4burden5you,6Iwas8crafty,9you say, andgot the better of12you11by deceit.10 Did I take advantage of9you6through7any2of those8whom3I sent4to5you?10 I urged1Titus2to go,and3sent4the5brother6with4him. DidTitus10take advantage of8you?9Did we15not11act15in the12same13spirit?14Did wenot16takethe17same18steps?19 Have you been thinking2all along1that3we have been defending ourselves5to you?4It isin the sight of6God7thatwe have been speaking10in8Christ,9and12all13for15your17upbuilding,18beloved.14 For2I fear1that perhaps34when I come5I may find9you10not6as7I wish,8and11thatyou13may find me12not15as14you wish16— that perhaps1718there may bequarreling,19jealousy,20anger,21hostility,22slander,23gossip,24conceit,25anddisorder.26 I fear that1when3I4come3again2my9God8may humble5me6before10you,11and12I may have to mourn over13many14of those15who sinned earlier16and17have19not18repented19of20the21impurity,22sexual immorality,24and25sensuality26that27they have practiced.28