2 Corinthians
2 Corinthians 12:5–10
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. 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 perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me. 10That is why, for the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
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,
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 12:5
| 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 |
2 Corinthians 12:8
| English | Greek | Sounds like | Grammar | Word study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Three times | τρὶς | tris | Adverb | G5151 three times |
| I pleaded with | παρεκάλεσα | parekalesa | Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular | G3870 I summon, entreat, admonish, comfort |
| the | τὸν | ton | Article - Accusative Masculine Singular | G3588 the |
| Lord | Κύριον | Kyrion | Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular | G2962 lord, Lord, master, sir |
| to | ἵνα | hina | Conjunction | G2443 in order that, so that |
| take it away | ἀποστῇ | apostē | Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular | G868 I lead away, seduce, depart, abstain from |
| from | ἀπ’ | ap’ | Preposition | G575 from, away from |
| me | ἐμοῦ | emou | Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular | G1473 I |
2 Corinthians 12:9
| English | Greek | Sounds like | Grammar | Word study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| But | καὶ | kai | Conjunction | G2532 and, even, also, namely |
| He said | εἴρηκέν | eirēken | Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular | G2046 I say, speak |
| to me | μοι | moi | Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular | G1473 I |
| My | μου | mou | Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular | G1473 I |
| grace | χάρις | charis | Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular | G5485 grace, favor, kindness |
| is sufficient | Ἀρκεῖ | Arkei | Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular | G714 I am sufficient, I suffice, am content, satisfied |
| for you | σοι | soi | Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Singular | G4771 you |
| for | γὰρ | gar | Conjunction | G1063 for |
| power | δύναμις | dynamis | Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular | G1411 might, power, marvelous works |
| is perfected | τελεῖται | teleitai | Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular | G5055 I end, accomplish, pay |
| in | ἐν | en | Preposition | G1722 in, on, among |
| weakness | ἀσθενείᾳ | astheneia | Noun - Dative Feminine Singular | G769 want of strength, weakness, illness |
| Therefore | οὖν | oun | Conjunction | G3767 therefore, then |
| I will boast | καυχήσομαι | kauchēsomai | Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 1st Person Singular | G2744 I boast, glory |
| all the more | μᾶλλον | mallon | Adverb | G3123 more, rather |
| gladly | Ἥδιστα | Hēdista | Adverb - Superlative | G2236 most gladly, pleasantly |
| in | ἐν | en | Preposition | G1722 in, on, among |
| my | μου | mou | Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular | G1473 I |
| weaknesses | ἀσθενείαις | astheneiais | Noun - Dative Feminine Plural | G769 want of strength, weakness, illness |
| so that | ἵνα | hina | Conjunction | G2443 in order that, so that |
| the | ἡ | hē | Article - Nominative Feminine Singular | G3588 the |
| power | δύναμις | dynamis | Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular | G1411 might, power, marvelous works |
| of Christ | Χριστοῦ | Christou | Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular | G5547 anointed, the Messiah, the Christ |
| may rest | ἐπισκηνώσῃ | episkēnōsē | Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular | G1981 I raise a tent over, dwell |
| on | ἐπ’ | ep’ | Preposition | G1909 on, to, against, on the basis of, at |
| me | ἐμὲ | eme | Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Singular | G1473 I |
2 Corinthians 12:10
| English | Greek | Sounds like | Grammar | Word study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| That is why | διὸ | dio | Conjunction | G1352 wherefore |
| for the sake | ὑπὲρ | hyper | Preposition | G5228 in behalf of, above |
| of Christ | Χριστοῦ | Christou | Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular | G5547 anointed, the Messiah, the Christ |
| I delight | εὐδοκῶ | eudokō | Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular | G2106 I am resolved, well-pleased |
| in | ἐν | en | Preposition | G1722 in, on, among |
| weaknesses | ἀσθενείαις | astheneiais | Noun - Dative Feminine Plural | G769 want of strength, weakness, illness |
| in | ἐν | en | Preposition | G1722 in, on, among |
| insults | ὕβρεσιν | hybresin | Noun - Dative Feminine Plural | G5196 insult, damage, loss |
| in | ἐν | en | Preposition | G1722 in, on, among |
| hardships | ἀνάγκαις | anankais | Noun - Dative Feminine Plural | G318 necessity, constraint, compulsion |
| in | ἐν | en | Preposition | G1722 in, on, among |
| persecutions | διωγμοῖς | diōgmois | Noun - Dative Masculine Plural | G1375 persecution |
| difficulties | στενοχωρίαις | stenochōriais | Noun - Dative Feminine Plural | G4730 a narrow space, great distress |
| For | γὰρ | gar | Conjunction | G1063 for |
| when | ὅταν | hotan | Conjunction | G3752 when, whensoever |
| I am weak | ἀσθενῶ | asthenō | Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Singular | G770 I am weak, sick |
| then | τότε | tote | Adverb | G5119 then |
| I am | εἰμι | eimi | Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular | G1510 I am, exist |
| strong | δυνατός | dynatos | Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular | G1415 powerful, able, possible |
Cross-references
Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.
2 Corinthians 12:5 2 Corinthians 11:30 · 1 Corinthians 2:3
2 Corinthians 12:6 2 Corinthians 11:16 · 2 Corinthians 12:11 · 2 Corinthians 11:31 · 2 Corinthians 10:8–10
2 Corinthians 12:7 Numbers 33:55 · Judges 2:3 · 2 Chronicles 32:25–26 · 1 Corinthians 5:5 · Genesis 32:31 · Galatians 4:13 · Daniel 5:20 · 1 Timothy 3:6 · 2 Chronicles 26:16 · Deuteronomy 8:14 · Job 2:7 · Genesis 32:25
2 Corinthians 12:8 Hebrews 5:7 · Matthew 26:39–44 · 1 Samuel 15:11 · Psalm 77:2–11 · 2 Samuel 12:16–18
2 Corinthians 12:9 Philippians 4:13 · 2 Corinthians 12:10 · Isaiah 40:29–31 · Ephesians 3:16 · Joshua 1:9 · Isaiah 43:2 · 1 Corinthians 10:13 · Hebrews 4:16 · 2 Corinthians 3:5–6 · 2 Corinthians 12:5 · 1 Corinthians 15:10 · 1 Corinthians 2:5
2 Corinthians 12:10 2 Corinthians 12:9 · Ephesians 6:10 · Romans 5:3 · 2 Corinthians 13:4 · James 1:2 · 1 Peter 1:6–7 · 2 Corinthians 6:4 · Luke 6:22 · 2 Corinthians 1:4 · Acts 5:41 · 2 Corinthians 13:9 · John 15:21
Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.
Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.