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2 KORINTIËRS 12

God se genade is vir Paulus genoeg

1 As ek dan moet grootpraat - al is dit nou wel nie nuttig nie, sal ek uitkom by gesigte en openbarings deur die Here.2 Ek ken 'n man wat in 'n hegte verhouding met Christus staan. Veertien jaar gelede is hy weggeruk tot in die derde hemel. Of dit in die liggaam was of buite die liggaam, weet ek nie, maar God weet.3 En ek weet ook dat hierdie man - of dit in die liggaam was of buite die liggaam, weet ek nie, God weet -4 weggeruk is na die Paradys toe, en dat hy daar dinge gehoor het wat so verhewe is dat dit vir 'n mens onmoontlik is om dit in woorde uit te druk.5 Oor hierdie man sal ek spog, maar oor myself sal ek nie spog nie, behalwe oor my swakhede.6 Al sou ek ook wou spog, sou ek nie dwaas wees nie, want dan sou ek die waarheid praat. Maar ek weerhou my daarvan sodat niemand méér oor my sal sê as wat hy van my sien en van my hoor nie,

7 selfs nie as gevolg van die buitengewone openbarings nie.
Daarom, sodat ek nie hoogmoedig moet word nie, is aan my 'n doring in die vlees gegee, 'n boodskapper van Satan om my te kasty.8 Drie maal het ek die Here gesmeek dat dit my moet verlaat.9 Hy het egter vir my gesê: "My genade is genoeg vir jou, want my krag kom juis in swakheid tot volle verwesenliking." Daarom sal ek baie liewer oor my swakhede spog sodat die krag van Christus voortdurend deur my kan werk.

10 Ek is dus tevrede met my swakhede, beledigings, ontberings, vervolgings en benoudhede ter wille van Christus, want wanneer ek swak is, juis dán is ek sterk.

Paulus is diep bekommerd oor die Korintiërs

11 Ek het nou eintlik dwaas geword, maar julle het my daartoe gedwing. Want ek moes eintlik deur julle aanbeveel gewees het. Al is ek ook niks, staan ek niks agter vir daardie danige superapostels nie.12 Die kentekens van 'n apostel het ek oor en oor uitgewys toe ek by julle was: deur die doen van tekens, wonders en kragtige dade.

13 In watter opsig is julle slegter daaraan toe as die ander gemeentes, behalwe dat ek self nie vir julle tot 'n las was nie? Vergewe my hierdie "onreg"!
14 Kyk, ek is nou vir die derde keer gereed om na julle toe te kom, en ek sal nie 'n las wees nie: ek is nie agter julle goed aan nie, maar julle self. Want dit is nie dat die kinders vir hulle ouers moet sorg nie, maar die ouers vir die kinders.

15 Ek sou baie graag alles wou spandeer vir julle lewe, ja, ook myself. Aangesien ek julle uitermate liefhet, hoe werk dit dat julle my dan minder liefhet?
16 Laat dit vasstaan - ek was regtig nie vir julle 'n las nie. Of meen julle dalk ek was te uitgeslape en het julle met 'n slap riem gevang? Hoe?17 Het ek julle miskien mislei deur een van die mense wat ek na julle toe gestuur het?

18 Ek het vir Titus gevra en nog 'n broer saamgestuur. Het Titus julle dan gekul? Is ons optrede en styl dan nie in dieselfde gees nie; loop ons dan nie in dieselfde spore nie?

19 Julle dink seker al lankal dat ons hierdie dinge uit blote selfverdediging sê. Dis hoegenaamd nie die geval nie! Ons praat openlik oor hierdie dinge met God as ons getuie en vanuit ons hegte verhouding met Christus! Alles wat ons sê, geliefdes, is ter wille van julle opbou.
20 Ek is bang dat wanneer ek kom, ek julle nie so sal aantref soos ek julle graag wil hê nie, en dat ek ook nie deur julle so aangetref sal word soos julle my graag sal wil hê nie. Ek is veral bang vir twis, naywer, botsings, selfsugtige ambisie, kwaadstokery, geskinder, verwaandheid en wanordelikheid.

21 Ek is ook bang dat wanneer ek weer kom, my God my by julle sal verneder en dat ek sal treur oor baie wat al lank sonde doen en wat nie oor hulle onreinheid, seksuele vergrype en losbandigheid berou het nie.

2 CORINTHIANS 12

Visions from the Lord

1 I have to brag. There is nothing to be gained by it, but I must brag about the visions and other things that the Lord has shown me.

2 I know about one of Christ's followers who was taken up into the third heaven 14 years ago. I don't know if the man was still in his body when it happened, but God certainly knows.
3 As I said, only God really knows if this man was in his body at the time. 4 But he was taken up into paradise, t where he heard things too wonderful to tell.

5 I will brag about that man, but not about myself, except to say how weak I am.
6 Yet even if I did brag, I would not be foolish. I would simply be speaking the truth. But I will try not to say too much. That way, none of you will think more highly of me than you should because of what you have seen me do and say.

7 Of course, I am now referring to the wonderful things I saw. One of Satan's angels was sent to make me suffer terribly, so that I would not feel too proud.t
8 Three times I begged the Lord to make this suffering go away. 9 But he replied, “My gift of undeserved grace is all you need. My power is strongest when you are weak.” So if Christ keeps giving me his power, I will gladly brag about how weak I am.

10 Yes, I am glad to be weak or insulted or mistreated or to have troubles and sufferings, if it is for Christ. Because when I am weak, I am strong.

Paul's Concern //for the Lord's Followers //at Corinth


11 I have been making a fool of myself. But you forced me to do it, when you should have been speaking up for me. I may be nothing at all, but I am as good as those super apostles. 12 When I was with you, I was patient and worked all the powerful miracles and signs and wonders of a true apostle.

13 You missed out on only one blessing the other churches received. That is, you didn't have to support me. Forgive me for doing you wrong.
14 I am planning to visit you for the third time. But I still won't make a burden of myself. What I really want is you, and not what you have. Children are not supposed to save up for their parents, but parents are supposed to take care of their children. 15 So I will gladly give all I have and all I am. Will you love me less for loving you too much? 16 You agree that I wasn't a burden to you. Maybe that's because I was trying to catch you off guard and trick you. 17 Were you cheated by any of those I sent to you?

18 I urged Titus to visit you, and I sent another follower with him. But Titus didn't cheat you, and we felt and behaved the same way he did.

19 Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? Actually, we have been speaking to God as followers of Christ. But, my friends, we did it all for your good.
20 I am afraid when I come, we won't be pleased with each other. I fear that some of you may be arguing or jealous or angry or selfish or gossiping or insulting each other. I even fear that you may be proud and acting like a mob. 21 I am afraid God will make me ashamed when I visit you again. I will feel like crying because many of you have never given up your old sins. You are still doing things that are immoral, indecent, and shameful.