2 Corinthians

2 Corinthians 12:1–7

¹I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to gain, 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 it I do not know, but God knows. ³And I know that this man— whether in the body or out of it I do not know, but God knows— ⁴was caught up to Paradise. The things he heard were inexpressible, things that man is not permitted to tell.

⁵I will boast about such a man, but I will not boast about myself, except in my weaknesses. ⁶Even if I wanted to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me, ⁷or because of these surpassingly great revelations.

So to keep me from becoming conceited,^a I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.

Footnotes

a 12:7 Some translators end the previous paragraph after verse 6, and begin verse 7 with So to keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations,

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Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Greek it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

2 Corinthians 12:1

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
I must	δεῖ	dei	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular	G1163 it is necessary, inevitable
go on boasting	Καυχᾶσθαι	Kauchasthai	Verb - Present Infinitive Middle or Passive	G2744 I boast, glory
Although there is nothing to gain	συμφέρον	sympheron	Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Neuter Singular	G4851 I collect, am profitable to
I will go on	ἐλεύσομαι	eleusomai	Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 1st Person Singular	G2064 I come, go
to	εἰς	eis	Preposition	G1519 into, in, among, till, for
visions	ὀπτασίας	optasias	Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural	G3701 a vision, supernatural appearance
and	καὶ	kai	Conjunction	G2532 and, even, also, namely
revelations	ἀποκαλύψεις	apokalypseis	Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural	G602 an unveiling, uncovering, revealing
from	Κυρίου	Kyriou	Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular	G2962 lord, Lord, master, sir

2 Corinthians 12:2

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
I know	οἶδα	oida	Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular	G1492 I know, remember
a man	ἄνθρωπον	anthrōpon	Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular	G444 a man, one of the human race
in	ἐν	en	Preposition	G1722 in, on, among
Christ	Χριστῷ	Christō	Noun - Dative Masculine Singular	G5547 anointed, the Messiah, the Christ
fourteen	δεκατεσσάρων	dekatessarōn	Adjective - Genitive Neuter Plural	G1180 fourteen
years	ἐτῶν	etōn	Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural	G2094 a year
ago	πρὸ	pro	Preposition	G4253 before
was caught up	ἁρπαγέντα	harpagenta	Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Accusative Masculine Singular	G726 I seize, snatch, obtain by robbery
to	ἕως	heōs	Preposition	G2193 until, as far as
third	τρίτου	tritou	Adjective - Genitive Masculine Singular	G5154 third
heaven	οὐρανοῦ	ouranou	Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular	G3772 the sky, the heaven
Whether	εἴτε	eite	Conjunction	G1535 and if, whether
in	ἐν	en	Preposition	G1722 in, on, among
body	σώματι	sōmati	Noun - Dative Neuter Singular	G4983 body, flesh
or	εἴτε	eite	Conjunction	G1535 and if, whether
out of	ἐκτὸς	ektos	Preposition	G1622 without, outside, except, the outside, apart from
I do not know	οἶδα	oida	Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular	G1492 I know, remember
God	Θεὸς	Theos	Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular	G2316 God, a god
knows	οἶδεν	oiden	Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular	G1492 I know, remember

2 Corinthians 12:3

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
And	καὶ	kai	Conjunction	G2532 and, even, also, namely
I know that	οἶδα	oida	Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular	G1492 I know, remember
man	ἄνθρωπον	anthrōpon	Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular	G444 a man, one of the human race
whether	εἴτε	eite	Conjunction	G1535 and if, whether
in	ἐν	en	Preposition	G1722 in, on, among
body	σώματι	sōmati	Noun - Dative Neuter Singular	G4983 body, flesh
or	εἴτε	eite	Conjunction	G1535 and if, whether
out of	χωρὶς	chōris	Preposition	G5565 apart from, without
I do not know	οἶδα	oida	Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular	G1492 I know, remember
God	Θεὸς	Theos	Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular	G2316 God, a god
knows	οἶδεν	oiden	Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular	G1492 I know, remember

2 Corinthians 12:4

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
was caught up	ἡρπάγη	hērpagē	Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular	G726 I seize, snatch, obtain by robbery
to	εἰς	eis	Preposition	G1519 into, in, among, till, for
Paradise	Παράδεισον	Paradeison	Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular	G3857 Paradise
he heard	ἤκουσεν	ēkousen	Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular	G191 I hear, listen
inexpressible	ἄρρητα	arrēta	Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural	G731 not to be uttered, secret
things that	ἃ	ha	Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Plural	G3739 who, which, what, that
man	ἀνθρώπῳ	anthrōpō	Noun - Dative Masculine Singular	G444 a man, one of the human race
is not permitted	ἐξὸν	exon	Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Neuter Singular	G1832 it is permitted, lawful, possible
to tell	λαλῆσαι	lalēsai	Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active	G2980 I speak, say

2 Corinthians 12:5

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
I will boast	καυχήσομαι	kauchēsomai	Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 1st Person Singular	G2744 I boast, glory
about	Ὑπὲρ	Hyper	Preposition	G5228 in behalf of, above
such a man	τοιούτου	toioutou	Demonstrative Pronoun - Genitive Masculine Singular	G5108 of such a kind, such
but	δὲ	de	Conjunction	G1161 but, on the other hand, and
I will not boast	καυχήσομαι	kauchēsomai	Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 1st Person Singular	G2744 I boast, glory
about	ὑπὲρ	hyper	Preposition	G5228 in behalf of, above
myself	ἐμαυτοῦ	emautou	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 1st Person Singular	G1683 of myself
except	εἰ	ei	Conjunction	G1487 if
in	ἐν	en	Preposition	G1722 in, on, among
weaknesses	ἀσθενείαις	astheneiais	Noun - Dative Feminine Plural	G769 want of strength, weakness, illness

2 Corinthians 12:6

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Even	γὰρ	gar	Conjunction	G1063 for
if	ἐὰν	ean	Conjunction	G1437 if
I wanted	θελήσω	thelēsō	Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Singular	G2309 I will, wish, desire
to boast	καυχήσασθαι	kauchēsasthai	Verb - Aorist Infinitive Middle	G2744 I boast, glory
I would not be	ἔσομαι	esomai	Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 1st Person Singular	G1510 I am, exist
a fool	ἄφρων	aphrōn	Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular	G878 senseless, foolish, inconsiderate
because	γὰρ	gar	Conjunction	G1063 for
I would be speaking	ἐρῶ	erō	Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular	G2046 I say, speak
truth	ἀλήθειαν	alētheian	Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular	G225 truth
But	δέ	de	Conjunction	G1161 but, on the other hand, and
I refrain	φείδομαι	pheidomai	Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Singular	G5339 I spare, abstain
will credit	λογίσηται	logisētai	Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Middle - 3rd Person Singular	G3049 I reckon, count, decide
me	ἐμὲ	eme	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Singular	G1473 I
with more than	ὑπὲρ	hyper	Preposition	G5228 in behalf of, above
he sees	βλέπει	blepei	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular	G991 I look, see
in me	με	me	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Singular	G1473 I
or	ἢ	ē	Conjunction	G2228 or, than
hears	ἀκούει	akouei	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular	G191 I hear, listen
from	ἐξ	ex	Preposition	G1537 from out, out from among, from
me	ἐμοῦ	emou	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular	G1473 I

2 Corinthians 12:7

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
or	καὶ	kai	Conjunction	G2532 and, even, also, namely
because of these	τῇ	tē	Article - Dative Feminine Singular	G3588 the
surpassingly great	ὑπερβολῇ	hyperbolē	Noun - Dative Feminine Singular	G5236 surpassing excellence, exceedingly
revelations	ἀποκαλύψεων	apokalypseōn	Noun - Genitive Feminine Plural	G602 an unveiling, uncovering, revealing
So	Διὸ	Dio	Conjunction	G1352 wherefore
to	ἵνα	hina	Conjunction	G2443 in order that, so that
keep me from becoming conceited	ὑπεραίρωμαι	hyperairōmai	Verb - Present Subjunctive Middle or Passive - 1st Person Singular	G5229 I raise beyond, uplift
I	μοι	moi	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular	G1473 I
was given	ἐδόθη	edothē	Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular	G1325 I offer, give
a thorn	σκόλοψ	skolops	Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular	G4647 a stake or thorn
in	τῇ	tē	Article - Dative Feminine Singular	G3588 the
flesh	σαρκί	sarki	Noun - Dative Feminine Singular	G4561 flesh, body
a messenger	ἄγγελος	angelos	Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular	G32 an angel, messenger
of Satan	Σατανᾶ	Satana	Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular	G4567 an adversary, Satan
to	ἵνα	hina	Conjunction	G2443 in order that, so that
torment	κολαφίζῃ	kolaphizē	Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular	G2852 I strike with the fist, maltreat
me	με	me	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Singular	G1473 I