2 Corinthians 12

Paul’s Revelation

¹I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to gain, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. ²I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of it I do not know, but God knows. ³And I know that this man—whether in the body or out of it I do not know, but God knows— ⁴was caught up to Paradise. The things he heard were inexpressible, things that man is not permitted to tell.

• 2CO 12:1[MIRACLE]Paul caught up to the third heaven; heard inexpressible words
• 2CO 12:2[NOTE]THE THIRD HEAVEN. Most agree the man is Paul himself, talking humbly. The first heaven is the sky and the second is the stars. The third heaven is where God lives, which Paul also calls paradise, 12:4, the word Jesus used to the thief on the cross, Luke 23:43. Paul heard things he was not allowed to tell, and he waited fourteen years to mention it.

Paul’s Thorn and God’s Grace

⁵I will boast about such a man, but I will not boast about myself, except in my weaknesses. ⁶Even if I wanted to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me, ⁷or because of these surpassingly great revelations.

So to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. ⁸Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. ⁹But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me. ¹⁰That is why, for the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

• 2CO 12:7[DEMONIC]A thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan
• 2CO 12:7[NOTE]THE THORN. Paul never says what it was. Some think it was an eye problem, because he wrote with large letters and said the Galatians would have given him their eyes, Galatians 4:15 and 6:11. Some think it was another sickness or the people who attacked him everywhere he went. Others take messenger of Satan literally, a demon harassing him. The point is 12:9: God's grace was enough.
• 2CO 12:9[NOTABLE]STRENGTH IN WEAKNESS. Paul is not saying weakness is good. He begged God three times to take the thorn away, 12:8. He is saying God's power shows up best right where ours runs out, so Christ gets the credit. The fake super apostles bragged about their strengths. Paul bragged about his weaknesses, and that left them nothing to attack. Think of the last rap battle in the movie 8 Mile. B-Rabbit, Eminem's character, says every embarrassing thing about himself before his opponent can, and the other guy has nothing left to say. Pride can't do that. Only a humble person can admit weakness out loud, and that is when the power of Christ rests on him.

Paul’s Concern for the Corinthians

¹¹I have become a fool, but you drove me to it. In fact, you should have commended me, since I am in no way inferior to those “super-apostles,” even though I am nothing. ¹²The marks of a true apostle—signs, wonders, and miracles—were performed among you with great perseverance. ¹³In what way were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!

• 2CO 12:12[MIRACLE]The marks of an apostle: signs, wonders and miracles

¹⁴See, I am ready to come to you a third time, and I will not be a burden, because I am not seeking your possessions, but you. For children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. ¹⁵And for the sake of your souls, I will most gladly spend my money and myself. If I love you more, will you love me less?

¹⁶Be that as it may, I was not a burden to you; but crafty as I am, I caught you by trickery. ¹⁷Did I exploit you by anyone I sent you? ¹⁸I urged Titus to visit you, and I sent our brother with him. Did Titus exploit you in any way? Did we not walk in the same Spirit and follow in the same footsteps?

¹⁹Have 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. ²⁰For I am afraid that when I come, I may not find you as I wish, and you may not find me as you wish. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, rage, rivalry, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder. ²¹I am afraid that when I come again, my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of their acts of impurity, sexual immorality, and debauchery.