保罗得到的异象和启示
1自夸虽然无益，但我不得不继续夸下去，谈谈主给我的异象和启示。 2我知道一位基督徒12:2 此人就是保罗本人，他不愿夸耀自己的经历。在十四年前曾被提到第三层天上，是在肉身之内还是在肉身之外，我不知道，只有上帝知道。 3-4我知道这个人曾被提到天上的乐园里，听见了人不可言传的隐秘事，是在肉身之内还是在肉身之外，我不知道，只有上帝知道。 5我要为这人夸口。至于我自己，我除了夸耀自己的软弱以外，别无可夸。 6就算我夸口，也不是傻瓜，因为我所说的都是实话。只是我不会这样做，恐怕有人把我看得太高，超过了他对我的所见所闻。
7为了使我不至于因所受的启示太大而自高，有一根刺在我身上，就是有撒旦的爪牙攻击我，免得我骄傲自大。 8我曾三次祈求主叫这根刺离开我， 9但祂说：“我的恩典足够你用，因为我的能力在人的软弱上更显得全备。”所以，我更喜欢夸耀自己的软弱，好让基督的能力荫庇我。 10因此，为了基督的缘故，我欣然面对软弱、凌辱、艰难、迫害和困苦，因为我什么时候软弱，就什么时候刚强。
保罗关怀哥林多人
11我成了“傻瓜”，是被你们逼的！你们本该称许我才对。我虽然算不了什么，却没有一点比不上那些“超级使徒”。 12我在你们中间百般地忍耐，用神迹、奇事、异能证明自己是使徒。 13你们什么地方不及其他教会呢？唯一的区别是我没有成为你们的负担！希望各位原谅我的不公道！
14如今我打算第三次到你们那里去。我不会拖累你们，因为我想得到的是你们，而不是你们的财物。儿女不必为父母积财，父母应当为儿女积财。 15为了你们的灵魂，我甘愿付出，包括自己的生命。难道我越爱你们，就越得不到你们的爱吗？
16算了！我没有拖累过你们，但竟然有人说我狡猾，用诡计骗你们。 17请问，在我派到你们那里的人当中，我借着谁占过你们的便宜呢？ 18我恳求提多去你们那里，并派弟兄与他同去。难道提多占过你们的便宜吗？我们行事为人岂不是心灵相通，步调一致吗？
19你们一直以为我们是替自己辩白，其实我们这番话是在基督里、在上帝面前说的。亲爱的弟兄姊妹，这一切都是为了造就你们。 20因为我怕到你们那里的时候，我对你们的期望会落空，而你们对我也大失所望。我怕你们当中有纷争、嫉妒、恼怒、仇恨、毁谤、闲话、狂傲和混乱。 21我怕再去你们那里时，我的上帝会使我在你们面前感到羞愧，又怕看到许多从前犯罪、道德败坏、淫乱放荡的人仍然不肯悔改，便心里悲伤。
Paul’s Vision and His Thorn
1I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, 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 the body I do not know—God knows. 3And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— 4was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell. 5I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses. 6Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, 7or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order 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 made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Paul’s Concern for the Corinthians
11I have made a fool of myself, but you drove me to it. I ought to have been commended by you, for I am not in the least inferior to the “super-apostles,”12:11 Or the most eminent apostles even though I am nothing. 12I persevered in demonstrating among you the marks of a true apostle, including signs, wonders and miracles. 13How were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was never a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!
14Now I am ready to visit you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not your possessions but you. After all, children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. 15So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well. If I love you more, will you love me less? 16Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you. Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery! 17Did I exploit you through any of the men I sent to you? 18I urged Titus to go to you and I sent our brother with him. Titus did not exploit you, did he? Did we not walk in the same footsteps by the same Spirit?
19Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? We have been speaking in the sight of God as those in Christ; and everything we do, dear friends, is for your strengthening. 20For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, 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 the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery in which they have indulged.
