1 Gloriari oportet; non expedit quidem, veniam autem ad visiones etrevelationes Domini. | 1 I am boasting because I have to. Not that it does any good, but I wil move on to visions andrevelations from the Lord. |
2 Scio hominem in Christo ante annos quattuordecim — sivein corpore nescio, sive extra corpus nescio, Deus scit — raptum eiusmodi usquead tertium caelum. | 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago -- stil in the body? I do not know; or out of the body? Ido not know: God knows -- was caught up right into the third heaven. |
3 Et scio huiusmodi hominem — sive in corpore sive extracorpus nescio, Deus scit — | 3 And I know that this man -- stil in the body? or outside the body? I do not know, God knows- |
4 quoniam raptus est in paradisum et audivit arcanaverba, quae non licet homini loqui. | 4 was caught up into Paradise and heard words said that cannot and may not be spoken by any humanbeing. |
5 Pro eiusmodi gloriabor; pro me autem nihilgloriabor nisi in infirmitatibus meis. | 5 On behalf of someone like that I am wil ing to boast, but I am not going to boast on my own behalfexcept of my weaknesses; |
6 Nam, et si voluero gloriari, non eroinsipiens, veritatem enim dicam; parco autem, ne quis in me existimet supra id,quod videt me aut audit ex me, | 6 and then, if I do choose to boast I shal not be talking like a fool because I shal be speaking the truth.But I wil not go on in case anybody should rate me higher than he sees and hears me to be, because of theexceptional greatness of the revelations. |
7 et ex magnitudine revelationum. Propter quod,ne extollar, datus est mihi stimulus carni, angelus Satanae, ut me colaphizet,ne extollar. | 7 Wherefore, so that I should not get above myself, I was given a thorn in the flesh, a messenger fromSatan to batter me and prevent me from getting above myself. |
8 Propter quod ter Dominum rogavi, ut discederet a me; | 8 About this, I have three times pleaded with the Lord that it might leave me; |
9 et dixitmihi: “ Sufficit tibi gratia mea, nam virtus in infirmitate perficitur ”.Libentissime igitur potius gloriabor in infirmitatibus meis, ut inhabitet in mevirtus Christi. | 9 but he has answered me, 'My grace is enough for you: for power is at ful stretch in weakness.' It is,then, about my weaknesses that I am happiest of al to boast, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me; |
10 Propter quod placeo mihi in infirmitatibus, in contumeliis,in necessitatibus, in persecutionibus et in angustiis, pro Christo; cum eniminfirmor, tunc potens sum.
| 10 and that is why I am glad of weaknesses, insults, constraints, persecutions and distress for Christ'ssake. For it is when I am weak that I am strong. |
11 Factus sum insipiens. Vos me coegistis; ego enim debui a vobis commendari.Nihil enim minus fui ab his, qui sunt supra modum apostoli, tametsi nihil sum; | 11 I have turned into a fool, but you forced me to it. It is you that should have been commending me;those super-apostles had no advantage over me, even if I am nothing at all. |
12 signa tamen apostoli facta sunt super vos in omni patientia, signis quoque etprodigiis et virtutibus. | 12 Al the marks characteristic of a true apostle have been at work among you: complete perseverance,signs, marvels, demonstrations of power. |
13 Quid est enim quod minus habuistis prae ceterisecclesiis, nisi quod ego ipse non gravavi vos? Donate mihi hanc iniuriam.
| 13 Is there any way in which you have been given less than the rest of the churches, except that I didnot make myself a burden to you? Forgive me for this unfairness! |
14 Ecce tertio hoc paratus sum venire ad vos et non ero gravis vobis; non enimquaero, quae vestra sunt, sed vos; nec enim debent filii parentibusthesaurizare, sed parentes filiis. | 14 Here I am, ready to come to you for the third time and I am not going to be a burden on you: it is notyour possessions that I want, but yourselves. Children are not expected to save up for their parents, but parentsfor their children, |
15 Ego autem libentissime impendam etsuperimpendar ipse pro animabus vestris. Si plus vos diligo, minus diligar?
| 15 and I am more than glad to spend what I have and to be spent for the sake of your souls. Is itbecause I love you so much more, that I am loved the less? |
16 Esto quidem, ego vos non gravavi; sed cum essem astutus, dolo vos cepi. | 16 Al right, then; I did not make myself a burden to you, but, trickster that I am, I caught you by trickery. |
17 Numquid per aliquem eorum, quos misi ad vos, circumveni vos? | 17 Have I taken advantage of you through any of the people I have sent to you? |
18 Rogavi Titum etmisi cum illo fratrem; numquid Titus vos circumvenit? Nonne eodem spirituambulavimus? Nonne iisdem vestigiis?
| 18 Titus came at my urging, and I sent his companion with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Canyou deny that he and I were fol owing the guidance of the same Spirit and were on the same tracks? |
19 Olim putatis quod excusemus nos apud vos? Coram Deo in Christo loquimur;omnia autem, carissimi, propter vestram aedificationem. | 19 Al this time you have been thinking that we have been pleading our own cause before you; no, wehave been speaking in Christ and in the presence of God -- and all, dear friends, to build you up. |
20 Timeo enim, ne forte,cum venero, non quales volo, inveniam vos, et ego inveniar a vobis, qualem nonvultis; ne forte contentiones, aemulationes, animositates, dissensiones,detractiones, susurrationes, inflationes, seditiones sint; | 20 I am afraid that in one way or another, when I come, I may find you different from what I should likeyou to be, and you may find me what you would not like me to be; so that in one way or the other there wil berivalry, jealousy, bad temper, quarrels, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorders; |
21 ne iterum, cumvenero, humiliet me Deus meus apud vos, et lugeam multos ex his, qui antepeccaverunt et non egerunt paenitentiam super immunditia et fornicatione etimpudicitia, quam gesserunt.
| 21 and when I come again, my God may humiliate me in front of you and I shal be grieved by all thosewho sinned in the past and have stil not repented of the impurities and sexual immorality and debauchery thatthey have committed. |