2 Corinthians 12 (JND) - Bible Truth Library

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2 Corinthians 12

2 Cor. 12:1 KJV (With Strong’s)

It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. βI will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

For I will.

More on:

Glory,

Visions

Cross References

1-8: For commending of his apostleship, though he might glory of his wonderful revelations,

9-10: yet he rather chooses to glory of his infirmities;

11-13: blaming them for forcing him to this vain boasting.

14-19: He promises to come to them again; but yet altogether in the affection of a father;

20-21: although he fears he shall to his grief find many offenders, and public disorders there.

expedient.

2 Cor. 8:10• ¹⁰And I give my opinion in this, for this is profitable for you who began before, not only to do, but also to be willing, a year ago. (2 Cor. 8:10)

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John 16:7• ⁷But I say the truth to you, It is profitable for you that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Comforter will not come to you; but if I go I will send him to you. (John 16:7)

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John 18:14• ¹⁴But it was Caiaphas who counselled the Jews that it was better that one man should perish for the people. (John 18:14)

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1 Cor. 6:12• ¹²All things are lawful to me, but all things do not profit; all things are lawful to me, but *I* will not be brought under the power of any. (1 Cor. 6:12)

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1 Cor. 10:23• ²³All things are lawful, but all are not profitable; all things are lawful, but all do not edify. (1 Cor. 10:23)

to glory.

2 Cor. 12:11• ¹¹I have become a fool; *ye* have compelled me; for *I* ought to have been commended by you; for I have been nothing behind those who were in surpassing degree apostles, if also I am nothing. (2 Cor. 12:11)

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2 Cor. 11:16‑30• ¹⁶Again I say, Let not any one think me to be a fool; but if otherwise, receive me then even as a fool, that *I* also may boast myself some little.
¹⁷What I speak I do not speak according to the Lord, but as in folly, in this confidence of boasting.
¹⁸Since many boast according to flesh, *I* also will boast.
¹⁹For ye bear fools readily, being wise.
²⁰For ye bear if any one bring you into bondage, if any one devour you, if any one get your money, if any one exalt himself, if any one beat you on the face.
²¹I speak as to dishonour, as though *we* had been weak; but wherein any one is daring, (I speak in folly,) *I* also am daring.
²²Are they Hebrews? *I* also. Are they Israelites? *I* also. Are they seed of Abraham? *I* also.
²³Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as being beside myself) *I* above measure so; in labours exceedingly abundant, in stripes to excess, in prisons exceedingly abundant, in deaths oft.
²⁴From the Jews five times have I received forty stripes, save one.
²⁵Thrice have I been scourged, once I have been stoned, three times I have suffered shipwreck, a night and day I passed in the deep:
²⁶in journeyings often, in perils of rivers, in perils of robbers, in perils from my own race, in perils from the nations, in perils in the city, in perils in the desert, in perils on the sea, in perils among false brethren;
²⁷in labour and toil, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
²⁸Besides those things that are without, the crowd of cares pressing on me daily, the burden of all the assemblies.
²⁹Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is stumbled, and I burn not?
³⁰If it is needful to boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity. (2 Cor. 11:16‑30)

I will come.

Gr. For I will come.

visions.

2 Cor. 12:7• ⁷And that I might not be exalted by the exceeding greatness of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn for the flesh, a messenger of Satan that he might buffet me, that I might not be exalted. (2 Cor. 12:7)

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Num. 12:6• ⁶And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I Jehovah will make myself known to him in a vision, I will speak to him in a dream. (Num. 12:6)

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Ezek. 1:1‑28• ¹Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth of the month, as I was among the captives by the river Chebar, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
²On the fifth of the month, (it was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity,)
³the word of Jehovah came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of Jehovah was there upon him.
⁴And I looked, and behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the look of glowing brass, out of the midst of the fire.
⁵Also out of the midst thereof, the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man.
⁶And every one had four faces, and every one of them had four wings.
⁷And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot; and they sparkled as the look of burnished brass.
⁸And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings:
⁹their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.
¹⁰And the likeness of their faces was the face of a man; and they four had the face of a lion on the right side; and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four had also the face of an eagle.
¹¹And their faces and their wings were parted above; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.
¹²And they went every one straight forward: whither the Spirit was to go, they went; they turned not when they went.
¹³And as for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, as the appearance of torches: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright; and out of the fire went forth lightning.
¹⁴And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.
¹⁵And I looked at the living creatures, and behold, one wheel upon the earth beside the living creatures, toward their four faces.
¹⁶The appearance of the wheels and their work was as the look of a chrysolite; and they four had one likeness; and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel.
¹⁷When they went, they went upon their four sides; they turned not when they went.
¹⁸As for their rims, they were high and dreadful; and they four had their rims full of eyes round about.
¹⁹And when the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.
²⁰Whithersoever the Spirit was to go, they went, thither would their spirit go; and the wheels were lifted up along with them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.
²¹When those went, they went; and when those stood, they stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up along with them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.
²²And there was the likeness of an expanse over the heads of the living creature, as the look of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads above.
²³And under the expanse were their wings straight, the one toward the other: every one had two which covered on this side, and every one had two which covered on that side their bodies.
²⁴And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, a tumultuous noise, as the noise of a host: when they stood, they let down their wings;
²⁵and there was a voice from above the expanse that was over their heads. When they stood, they let down their wings.
²⁶And above the expanse that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone; and upon the likeness of the throne was a likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.
²⁷And I saw as the look of glowing brass, as the appearance of fire, within it round about; from the appearance of his loins and upward, and from the appearance of his loins and downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about.
²⁸As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of Jehovah. And when I saw, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of one that spoke. (Ezek. 1:1‑28)

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Ezek. 11:24• ²⁴And the Spirit lifted me up, and brought me in the vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to them of the captivity; and the vision that I had seen went up from me. (Ezek. 11:24)

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Dan. 10:5‑10• ⁵and I lifted up mine eyes and looked, and behold, a certain man clothed in linen, and his loins were girded with pure gold of Uphaz;
⁶and his body was like a chrysolite, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as torches of fire, and his arms and his feet as the look of burnished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.
⁷And I Daniel alone saw the vision; and the men that were with me saw not the vision, but a great quaking fell on them, and they fled to hide themselves.
⁸And I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me; and my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength.
⁹And I heard the voice of his words; and when I heard the voice of his words, I fell into a deep stupor on my face, and my face to the ground.
¹⁰And behold, a hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and the palms of my hands. (Dan. 10:5‑10)

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Joel 2:28‑29• ²⁸And it shall come to pass afterwards that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.
²⁹Yea, even upon the bondmen and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my Spirit. (Joel 2:28‑29)

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Acts 9:10‑17• ¹⁰And there was a certain disciple in Damascus by name Ananias. And the Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, here am I, Lord.
¹¹And the Lord said to him, Rise up and go into the street which is called Straight, and seek in the house of Judas one by name Saul, he is of Tarsus: for, behold, he is praying,
¹²and has seen in a vision a man by name Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he should see.
¹³And Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many concerning this man how much evil he has done to thy saints at Jerusalem;
¹⁴and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call upon thy name.
¹⁵And the Lord said to him, Go, for this man is an elect vessel to me, to bear my name before both nations and kings and the sons of Israel:
¹⁶for *I* will shew to him how much he must suffer for my name.
¹⁷And Ananias went and entered into the house; and laying his hands upon him he said, Saul, brother, the Lord has sent me, Jesus that appeared to thee in the way in which thou camest, that thou mightest see, and be filled with the Holy Spirit. (Acts 9:10‑17)

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Acts 18:9• ⁹And the Lord said by vision in the night to Paul, Fear not, but speak and be not silent; (Acts 18:9)

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Acts 22:17‑21• ¹⁷And it came to pass when I had returned to Jerusalem, and as I was praying in the temple, that I became in ecstasy,
¹⁸and saw him saying to me, Make haste and go quickly out of Jerusalem, for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.
¹⁹And *I* said, Lord, they themselves know that *I* was imprisoning and beating in every synagogue those that believe on thee;
²⁰and when the blood of thy witness Stephen was shed, I also myself was standing by and consenting, and kept the clothes of them who killed him.
²¹And he said to me, Go, for *I* will send thee to the nations afar off. (Acts 22:17‑21)

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Acts 23:11• ¹¹But the following night the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good courage; for as thou hast testified the things concerning me at Jerusalem, so thou must bear witness at Rome also. (Acts 23:11)

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Acts 26:13‑19• ¹³at mid-day, on the way, I saw, O king, a light above the brightness of the sun, shining from heaven round about me and those who were journeying with me.
¹⁴And, when we were all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against goads.
¹⁵And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, *I* am Jesus whom *thou* persecutest:
¹⁶but rise up and stand on thy feet; for, for this purpose have I appeared to thee, to appoint thee to be a servant and a witness both of what thou hast seen, and of what I shall appear to thee in,
¹⁷taking thee out from among the people, and the nations, to whom *I* send thee,
¹⁸to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins and inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in me.
¹⁹Whereupon, king Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision; (Acts 26:13‑19)

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Gal. 1:12• ¹²For neither did I receive them from man, neither was I taught them, but by revelation of Jesus Christ. (Gal. 1:12)

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Gal. 2:2• ²and I went up according to revelation, and I laid before them the glad tidings which I preach among the nations, but privately to those conspicuous among them, lest in any way I run or had run in vain; (Gal. 2:2)

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1 John 5:20• ²⁰And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us an understanding that we should know him that is true; and we are in him that is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. (1 John 5:20)

J. N. Darby Translation

Well, it is not of profit to me to boast, for I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

W. Kelly Translation

I must needs boast; though it be not profitable, yet I willa come unto visions and revelations of [the] Lord.

WK Translation Notes

The more ancient MSS. support the text above rather than the T. R. "It is expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come . . ."