2 Corinthians 12

2 Corinthians · Chapter 12

2 Corinthians 12:19

1It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.2I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.3And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)4How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.5Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.6For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.7And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.8For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.9And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.10Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.11I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing.12Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.13For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong.14Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.15And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.16But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile.17Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you?18I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus make a gain of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps?19Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying.20For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:21And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
19Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying.Have you been thinking all along that we were making a defense to you? We speak before God in Christ, and all of this, beloved, is to build you up.Ye think all this time that we are excusing ourselves unto you. In the sight of God speak we in Christ. But all things, beloved, are for your edifying.

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

2 Corinthians 12:11-21The signs of an apostle; a third visit

About 2 Corinthians 12Paul tells of "a man in Christ" who "was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words," and then of "a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan" given to him "lest I should be exalted above measure." He asked the Lord three times to remove it, and the Lord said, "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness," so Paul concludes, "when I am weak, then am I strong." Preparing to come "the third time," he says, "I seek not yours, but you," and fears he may find sin unrepented of among them. 2 Corinthians 12:22 Corinthians 12:42 Corinthians 12:72 Corinthians 12:82 Corinthians 12:92 Corinthians 12:102 Corinthians 12:142 Corinthians 12:202 Corinthians 12:21

Who, where and when in this chapter

Original Greek words

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
PreviouslyΠάλαιPalaiG3819
of old

πάλαι (palai) πάλαι adv. of time, [in LXX: Isa.48:5, 7 (אָז), etc. ;] long ago, of old, in time past (denoting past time absolutely, as πρότερον relatively) : Mat.11:21, Luk.10:13, Heb.1:1, Ju 4; as adj., with art., 2Pe.1:9; of time just past, Mrk.6:47 (WH, mg.), Mrk.15:44 (WH, mg., R, txt.); with durst. praes. (RV, all this time), 2Co.12:19.† (AS)

you have been thinkingδοκεῖτεdokeiteG1380
to think

δοκέω (dokeō) δοκέω, -ῶ (δόκος, opinion, δέκομαι, Ion, form of δέχ-), [in LXX for טוֹב, נָדַב, etc. ;] 1. to be of opinion, suppose: Mat.24:44, Luk.12:40, Heb.10:29; with inf., Mat.3:9, Luk.8:18 24:37, Jhn.5:39 16:2, Act.12:9 27:13, 1Co.3:18 7:40 8:2 10:12 14:37, Gal.6:3, Php.3:4, Jas.1:26; with accusative and inf., 1Co.12:23, 2Co.11:16; before ὅτι, Mat.6:7 26:53, Mrk.6:49, Luk.12:51 13:2, 4 19:11, Jhn.5:45 11:13, 31 13:29 20:15, 1Co.4:9, 2Co.12:19, Jas.4:5. …

thatὅτιhotiG3754G
that/since: that

ὅτι (hoti) ὅτι, conjc. (prop. neut. of ὅστις). I. As conjc, introducing an objective clause, that; 1. after verbs of seeing, knowing, thinking, saying, feeling: Mat.3:9 6:32 11:25, Mrk.3:28, Luk.2:49, Jhn.2:22, Act.4:13, Rom.1:13 8:38 10:9, Php.4:15, Jas.2:24, al.; elliptically, Jhn.6:46, Php.3:12, al. 2. After εἶναι (γίνεσθαι): defining a demonstr. or of person(s) pron., Jhn.3:19 16:19, Rom.9:6, 1Jn.3:16 al.; with pron. interrog., Mat.8:27, Mrk.4:41, Luk.4:36, Jhn.4:22 al.; id. elliptically, Luk.2:49, Act.5:4, 9, al.; …

to youὑμῖνhuminG4771
you

σέ (se) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

we are presenting a defense.ἀπολογούμεθα.apologoumethaG0626
to defend oneself

ἀπολογέομαι (apologeomai) ἀπολογέομαι, -οῦμαι (ἀπό, λόγος), [in LXX: Jer.12:1 (רִיב) Jer.31:6, 2Ma.13:26 * ;] 1. to defend: with accusative, Rom.2:15. 2. to defend one's self: absol., Luk.21:14, Act.26:1; before ὅτι, Act.25:8; τί, to adduce something in one's defence, Luk.12:11, Act.26:24 (ταῦτα) Act.24:10 (τὰ περὶ ἐμαυτοῦ); περί, with genitive of thing(s), and ἐπί, with genitive of person(s), Act.26:2; with dative of person(s), Act.19:33, 2Co.12:19.† (AS)

beforeκατέναντιkatenantiG2713
before

κατέναντι (katenanti) κατέναντι adv., [in LXX chiefly for נֶגֶד, פָּנִים, Gen.7:1, etc. ;] over against, opposite, before: ἡ, κ. κώμη, Luk.19:30; as prep., with genitive, Mat.21:2 27:24 (ἀπ-, WH, mg.), Mrk.11:2 12:41 (ἀπ-, WH, mg.) Mrk.13:3; metaphorically, before, before θεοῦ, Rom.4:17, 2Co.2:17 12:19.† (AS)

GodθεοῦtheouG2316
God

θεός (theos) θεός, -οῦ, ὁ, ἡ (Act.19:37 only; see M, Pr., 60, 244), late voc., θεέ (Mat.27:46; cf. Deu.3:24, al.), [in LXX chiefly for אֱלֹהִים, also for אֵל and other cognate forms, יהוה, etc. ;] a god or deity, God. 1. In polytheistic sense, a god or deity: Act.28:6, 1Co.8:4, 2Th.2:4, al.; pl., Ac. 14:11 19:26, Gal.4:8, al. 2. Of the one true God; …

inἐνenG1722
in/on/among

ἐν (en) ἐν, prep, (the most frequently of all in NT), with dative (= Heb. בְּ, Lat. in, with abl.). I. Of place, with dative of thing(s), of person(s), in, within, on, at, by, among: ἐν τ. πόλει, Luk.7:37; τ. οφθαλμῷ, Mat.7:3; τ. κοιλίᾳ, Mat.12:40; τ. ὄρει, 2Pe.1:18; τ. θρόνῳ, Rev.3:21; τ. δεξιᾷ τ. θεοῦ, Rom.8:34; ἐν ἡμῖν Abbott-Smith has ὑμῖν., Luk.1:1; of books, ἐν τ. βιβλίῳ, Gal.3:10; τ. νόμῳ, Mat.12:5, al.; ἐν τοῖς τ. Πατρός, in my Father's house (RV; cf. M, Pr., 103), Luk.2:49; trop., of the region of thought or feeling, ἐν τ. καρδίᾳ (-αις), Mat.5:28, 2Co.4:6, al.; τ. συνειδήσεσιν, 2Co.5:11; af …

ChristΧριστῷChristōG5547
Christ

Χριστός (Christos) χριστός (Χρ-), -ή, -όν (χρίω), [in LXX for מָשִׁיחַ and cogn. forms ;] 1. 1. as adj., (a) of things, anointing, to be used as ointment (Æsch., Eur., al.; τ. ἔλαιον τὸ χ., Lev.21:10); (b) of persons, anointed (ὁ ἰερεὺς ὁ χ., Lev.4:5; οἱ χ. ἰευρεῖς, 2Ma.1:10): ὁ χ. τοῦ κυρίου or Θεοῦ (1Ki.2:10, Psa.2:2, al.), of the Messiah (Aram., מְשִׁיחָא; cf. Dalman, Words, 289 ff.), Luk.2:11, 26 Jhn.1:41, Act.2:36 4:26, al. …

we speak.λαλοῦμεν.laloumenG2980
to speak

λαλέω (laleō) λαλέω, -ῶ, [in LXX chiefly for דּבר pi., also for אמר, etc. ;] 1. to utter: of inanimate things, Rev.4:1 10:4; metaphorically, Heb.11:4 12:24. 2. to talk, speak, say: absol., Mat.9:33 12:46, Mrk.5:35, Luk.8:49; before ὡς, 1Co.13:11, Rev.13:11; εἰς, 1Co.14:9; ἐκ, Mat.12:34; with accusative of thing(s), Mat.10:19, Mrk.11:32, Jhn.8:30, al.; with dative of person(s), Mat.12:46, Luk.24:6, Rom.7:1, al.; with accusative of thing(s) and dative of person(s), Mat.9:18, Jhn.10:6, al.; with prep., πρός, μετά, περί, Mrk.6:50, Luk.1:19 2:33, al.; ἐν, ἐξ, ἀπό, Mat.13:3, Jhn.12:49 14:10, al.; λ. τ. λόγον, …

butδὲdeG1161
then

δέ (de) δέ (before vowels δ᾽; on the general neglect of the elision in NT, see WH, App., 146; Tdf., Pr., 96), post-positive conjunctive particle; 1. copulative, but, in the next place, and, now (Abbott, JG, 104): Mat.1:2ff., 2Co.6:15, 16, 2Pe.1:5-7; in repetition for emphasis, Rom.3:21, 22, 9:30, 1Co.2:6, Gal.2:2, Php.2:8; in transition to something new, Mat.1:18, 2:19, Luk.13:1, Jhn.7:14, Act.6:1, Rom.8:28, 1Co.7:1 8:1, al.; in explanatory parenthesis or addition, Jhn.3:19, Rom.5:8, 1Co.1:12, Eph.2:4, 5:32, al.; ὡς δέ, Jhn.2:9; καὶ . . . δέ, but also, Mat.10:18, Luk.1:76, Jhn.6:51, Rom.11:23, al.; …

all things,πάντα,pantaG3956
all

πᾶς (pas) πᾶς, πᾶσα, πᾶν, genitive, παντός, πάσης, παντός, [in LXX chiefly for כֹּל ;] all, every. I. As adj., 1. with subst. anarth., all, every, of every kind: Mat.3:10 4:23, Mrk.9:49, Luk.4:37, Jhn.2:1o, Act.27:20, Rom.7:8, Rev.18:17, al. mult.; pl., all, Act.22:15, Rom.5:12, Heb.1:6, al.; of the highest degree, π. ἐξουσία (προθυμία, χαρά), Mat.28:18, Act.17:11, Phi 2:29, al.; also the whole (though in this sense more frequently with art.), Mat.2:3, Act.2:36, Rom.11:26. …

beloved,ἀγαπητοί,agapētoiG0027
beloved

ἀγαπητός (agapētos) ἀγαπητός, -ή, -όν (ἀγαπάω), [in LXX chiefly for יָתִיד, יָדִיד ;] beloved (see M, Pr., 221); (a) by God: of Christ, Mat.3:17; of men, Rom.1:7; (b) by Christians, of one another: 1Co.4:14; frequently as form of address, ib. 10:14; opposite to ἐχθρός, Rom.11:28 (see AR, Eph., 229; Cremer, 17; MM, VGT, see word). (AS)

forὑπὲρhuperG5228
above/for

ὑπέρ (huper) ὑπέρ (when following subst.—poët.—ὕπερ; so as adv., 2Co.11:23), prep. with genitive, accusative I. C. genitive, primarily of place (rest or motion), over, above, across, beyond, hence, metaphorically, 1. for, on behalf of: of prayer, Mat.5:44, Act.8:24, Rom.10:1, Jas.5:16, al.; of laying down life, Jhn.10:11, Rom.9:3, al.; esp. of Christ giving his life for man's redemption, Mrk.14:24, Jhn.10:15, Act.21:13, Rom.5:6-8, al.; opposite to κατά, Mrk.9:40, Luk.9:50, Rom.8:31. …

yourὑμῶνhumōnG4771
you

σέ (se) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

edification.οἰκοδομῆς.oikodomēsG3619
building

οἰκοδομή (oikodomē) οἰκοδομή, -ῆς, ἡ (οἶκος, + δέμω, to build), [in LXX: 1Ch.29:1 A (בִּירָה), Eze.17:17 40:2 (בָּנָה, מִבְנֶה), Sir.22:16 40:19, al. ;] = cl. οἰκοδομία (which see), -δόμησις (Thuc., Plat.), 1. the act of building; in NT always metaphorically, building up, edifying: Rom.14:19 15:2, 1Co.14:26, 2Co.10:8 13:10, Eph.4:29; with genitive obj., 1Co.14:12, 2Co.12:19, Eph.4:12, 16; λαλεῖν, λαβεῖν, οἰ., 1Co.14:3. 2. = οἰκοδόμημα, a building: Mat.24:1, Mrk.13:1-2; metaphorically, 1Co.3:9, 2Co.5:1, Eph.2:21.† (AS)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.