1 As it is necessary for me to take glory to myself, though it is not a good thing, I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.2 I have knowledge of a man in Christ, fourteen years back (if he was in the body, or out of the body, I am not able to say, but God only), who was taken up to the third heaven.3 And I have knowledge of such a man (if he was in the body, or out of the body, I am not able to say, but God only),4 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.5 On account of such a one I will have glory: for myself I will take no glory, but only in my feeble body.6 For if I had a desire to take credit to myself, it would not be foolish, for I would be saying what is true: but I will not, for fear that I might seem to any man more than he sees me to be, or has word from me that I am.7 And because the revelations were so very great, in order that I might not be overmuch lifted up, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, one sent from Satan to give me pain.8 And about this thing I made request to the Lord three times that it might be taken away from me.9 And he said to me, My grace is enough for you, for my power is made complete in what is feeble. Most gladly, then, will I take pride in my feeble body, so that the power of Christ may be on me.10 So I take pleasure in being feeble, in unkind words, in needs, in cruel attacks, in troubles, on account of Christ: for when I am feeble, then am I strong.11 I have been forced by you to become foolish, though it was right for my praise to have come from you: for in no way was I less than the chief of the Apostles, though I am nothing.12 Truly the signs of an Apostle were done among you in quiet strength, with wonders and acts of power.13 For what is there in which you were made less than the other churches, but in the one thing that I was not a trouble to you? Let me have forgiveness for this wrong.14 This is now the third time that I am ready to come to you; and I will not be a trouble to you: my desire is for you, not for your property: for it is not the children's business to make store for their fathers, but the fathers for the children.15 And I will gladly give all I have for your souls. If I have the more love for you, am I to be loved the less?16 But let it be so, that I was not a trouble to you myself; but (someone may say) being false, I took you with deceit.17 Did I make a profit out of you by any of those whom I sent to you?18 I gave orders to Titus, and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus make any profit out of you? were we not guided by the same Spirit, in the same ways?19 It may seem to you that all this time we have been attempting to put ourselves in the right; but we are saying these things before God in Christ. For all things, dear brothers, are for your profit.20 For I have a fear that, when I come, you may not be answering to my desire, and that I may not be answering to yours; that there may be fighting, hate, angry feeling, divisions, evil talk about others, secrets, thoughts of pride, outbursts against authority;21 And that when I come again, my God may put me to shame among you, and I may have grief for those who have done wrong before and have had no regret for their unclean ways, and for the evil desires of the flesh to which they have given way.

1 Si gloriari oportet (non expedit quidem), veniam autem ad visiones et revelationes Domini. 2 Scio hominem in Christo ante annos quatuordecim, sive in corpore nescio, sive extra corpus nescio, Deus scit, raptum hujusmodi usque ad tertium clum. 3 Et scio hujusmodi hominem sive in corpore, sive extra corpus nescio, Deus scit : 4 quoniam raptus est in paradisum : et audivit arcana verba, qu non licet homini loqui. 5 Pro hujusmodi gloriabor : pro me autem nihil gloriabor nisi in infirmitatibus meis. 6 Nam etsi voluero gloriari, non ero insipiens : veritatem enim dicam : parco autem, ne quis me existimet supra id quod videt in me, aut aliquid audit ex me. 7 Et ne magnitudo revelationum extollat me, datus est mihi stimulus carnis me angelus Satan, qui me colaphizet. 8 Propter quod ter Dominum rogavi ut discederet a me : 9 et dixit mihi : Sufficit tibi gratia mea : nam virtus in infirmitate perficitur. Libenter igitur gloriabor in infirmitatibus meis, ut inhabitet in me virtus Christi. 10 Propter quod placeo mihi in infirmitatibus meis, in contumeliis, in necessitatibus, in persecutionibus, in angustiis pro Christo : cum enim infirmor, tunc potens sum. 11 Factus sum insipiens, vos me cogistis. Ego enim a vobis debui commendari : nihil enim minus fui ab iis, qui sunt supra modum Apostoli : tametsi nihil sum : 12 signa tamen apostolatus mei facta sunt super vos in omni patientia, in signis, et prodigiis, et virtutibus. 13 Quid est enim, quod minus habuistis pr ceteris ecclesiis, nisi quod ego ipse non gravavi vos ? donate mihi hanc injuriam.14 Ecce tertio hoc paratus sum venire ad vos : et non ero gravis vobis. Non enim quro qu vestra sunt, sed vos. Nec enim debent filii parentibus thesaurizare, sed parentes filiis. 15 Ego autem libentissime impendam, et super impendar ipse pro animabus vestris : licet plus vos diligens, minus diligar. 16 Sed esto : ego vos non gravavi : sed cum essem astutus, dolo vos cepi. 17 Numquid per aliquem eorum, quod misi ad vos, circumveni vos ? 18 Rogavi Titum, et misi cum illo fratrem. Numquid Titus vos circumvenit ? nonne eodem spiritu ambulavimus ? nonne iisdem vestigiis ?19 Olim putatis quod excusemus nos apud vos ? coram Deo in Christo loquimur : omnia autem, carissimi, propter dificationem vestram. 20 Timeo enim ne forte cum venero, non quales volo, inveniam vos : et ego inveniar a vobis, qualem non vultis : ne forte contentiones, mulationes, animositates, dissensiones, detractiones, susurrationes, inflationes, seditiones sint inter vos : 21 ne iterum cum venero, humiliet me Deus apud vos, et lugeam multos ex iis qui ante peccaverunt, et non egerunt pnitentiam super immunditia, et fornicatione, et impudicitia, quam gesserunt.