1 It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory

B ⟨needful to glory, it is not expedient indeed⟩; ℵ ⟨not expedient, indeed, to glory⟩

. I will come

B ⟨But I will come also⟩; ℵ ⟨But I will come⟩

to visions and revelations of the Lord.

1 Si gloriari oportet (non expedit quidem), veniam autem ad visiones et revelationes Domini.

2 I 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.

2 Scio hominem in Christo ante annos quatuordecim, sive in corpore nescio, sive extra corpus nescio, Deus scit, raptum hujusmodi usque ad tertium cælum.

3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell

B omit

: God knoweth;)

3 Et scio hujusmodi hominem sive in corpore, sive extra corpus nescio, Deus scit:

4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

4 quoniam raptus est in paradisum: et audivit arcana verba, quæ non licet homini loqui.

5 Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine

B omit

infirmities.

5 Pro hujusmodi gloriabor: pro me autem nihil gloriabor nisi in infirmitatibus meis.

6 For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear

ℵBA ⟨I forbear even the abundance of the revelations⟩

, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.

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 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations

ℵBA ⟨For lest I should be exalted above measure⟩

, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure

ℵBA omit

.

7 Et ne magnitudo revelationum extollat me, datus est mihi stimulus carnis meæ angelus Satanæ, qui me colaphizet.

8 For

A ⟨And for⟩

this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

8 Propter quod ter Dominum rogavi ut discederet a me:

9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my

ℵBA omit

strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my

B omit

infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon 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 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in

ℵ ⟨and⟩

necessities, in persecutions, in distresses

A ⟨in distresses⟩; ℵB ⟨in persecutions and distresses⟩

for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

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 I am become a fool in glorying

ℵBA omit

; 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.

11 Factus sum insipiens, vos me coëgistis. Ego enim a vobis debui commendari: nihil enim minus fui ab iis, qui sunt supra modum Apostoli: tametsi nihil sum:

12 Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in

ℵB ⟨and⟩; A omit

signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.

12 signa tamen apostolatus mei facta sunt super vos in omni patientia, in signis, et prodigiis, et virtutibus.

13 For 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.

13 Quid est enim, quod minus habuistis præ ceteris ecclesiis, nisi quod ego ipse non gravavi vos? donate mihi hanc injuriam.

14 Behold, the

ℵBA ⟨this is the⟩

third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you

ℵBA omit

: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

14 ¶ Ecce tertio hoc paratus sum venire ad vos: et non ero gravis vobis. Non enim quæro quæ vestra sunt, sed vos. Nec enim debent filii parentibus thesaurizare, sed parentes filiis.

15 And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.

B ⟨if the more abundantly loving you, the less I be loved.⟩; ℵA ⟨if I love you more abundantly, am I less beloved?⟩

15 Ego autem libentissime impendam, et super impendar ipse pro animabus vestris: licet plus vos diligens, minus diligar.

16 But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile.

16 Sed esto: ego vos non gravavi: sed cum essem astutus, dolo vos cepi.

17 Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you?

17 Numquid per aliquem eorum, quos misi ad vos, circumveni vos?

18 I 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?

18 Rogavi Titum, et misi cum illo fratrem. Numquid Titus vos circumvenit? nonne eodem spiritu ambulavimus? nonne iisdem vestigiis?

19 Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you?

ℵBA ⟨You have thought for some time that we excuse ourselves unto you.⟩

we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying.

19 ¶ Olim putatis quod excusemus nos apud vos? coram Deo in Christo loquimur: omnia autem, carissimi, propter ædificationem vestram.

20 For 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

ℵB ⟨debate⟩

, envyings

ℵB ⟨envying⟩

, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:

20 Timeo enim ne forte cum venero, non quales volo, inveniam vos: et ego inveniar a vobis, qualem non vultis: ne forte contentiones, æmulationes, animositates, dissensiones, detractiones, susurrationes, inflationes, seditiones sint inter vos:

21 And 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.

21 ne iterum cum venero, humiliet me Deus apud vos, et lugeam multos ex iis qui ante peccaverunt, et non egerunt pœnitentiam super immunditia, et fornicatione, et impudicitia, quam gesserunt.