1 I suppose I have to boast, even though it doesn’t really help. Let me go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was taken up to the third heaven (whether physically in the body, or out of it, I don’t know, but God knows). 3 I know that this man (whether taken up physically in the body, or apart from it, I don’t know, but God knows), 4 how he was taken up into Paradise, and heard things too wonderful to be spoken, in words so sacred that no human being is allowed to say. 5 Something like that I’ll boast about, but I won’t boast about myself, except for my weaknesses. 6 I wouldn’t be foolish if I wanted to boast, because I’d be telling the truth. But I won’t boast, so that nobody will think more of me than what they see me doing or hear me saying. 7 Also, because these revelations were so amazingly great, and so that I wouldn’t become proud, I was given a "thorn in my flesh"12:7. Probably some physical problem in Paul’s body.—a messenger from Satan to hurt me so that I wouldn’t become proud. 8 I pleaded with the Lord three times to get rid of this problem. 9 But he told me, "My grace is all you will need, for my power is effective in weakness." That’s why I happily boast about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me. 10 So I appreciate weaknesses, insults, troubles, persecutions, and difficulties that I suffer for Christ’s sake. For when I’m weak, then I’m strong!
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