1 For commending of his apostleship, though he might glory of his wonderful revelations,
9 yet he rather chooses to glory of his infirmities;
11 blaming them for forcing him to this vain boasting.
14 He promises to come to them again; but yet altogether in the affection of a father;
20 although he fears he shall to his grief find many offenders, and public disorders there.

expedient. 8:10 Joh 16:7 18:14 1Co 6:12 10:23

to glory. 11 11:16-30

I will come. Gr. For I will come. visions. 7 Nu 12:6 Eze 1:1 *etc: Eze 11:24 Da 10:5-10 Joe 2:28,29 Ac 9:10-17 18:9 22:17-21 Ac 23:11 26:13-19 Ga 1:12 2:2 1Jo 5:20

2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.

knew. 3,5

in Christ. 5:17,21 13:5 Isa 45:24,25 Joh 6:56 15:4-6 17:21-23 Ro 8:1 Ro 16:7 1Co 1:30 Ga 1:22 5:6

about. 'A.D 46, at Lystra,'

Ac 14:6 22:17

in the. 5:6-8 1Ki 18:12 2Ki 2:16 Eze 8:1-3 11:24 Ac 8:39,40 22:17 Php 1:22,23 Re 1:10 4:2

God. 3

See on 11:11

caught. 4 Lu 24:51 1Th 4:17 Heb 9:24 Re 12:5

third. Ge 1:14-20 1Ki 8:27 Isa 57:15

3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)

4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

paradise. Eze 31:9 Lu 23:43 Re 2:7

lawful. or, possible.

5 Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.

such. 2-4

yet. 9,10 11:30

6 For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.

I would. 10:8 11:16 1Co 3:5,9,10

I will. 1:18 11:31 Job 24:25 Ro 9:1

above that. 7 10:9,10

7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

lest. 10:5 11:20 De 8:14 17:20 2Ch 26:16 32:25,26,31 Da 5:20 1Ti 3:6

the abundance. 1-4

a thorn. Ge 32:25,31 Jud 2:3 Eze 28:24 Ga 4:13

the messenger. Job 2:7 Lu 13:16 1Co 5:5

to buffet. Mt 26:67 1Co 4:11

8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

I besought. De 3:23-27 1Sa 15:11 2Sa 12:16-18 Ps 77:2-11 Mt 20:21,22 Mt 26:39-44 Heb 5:7

9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

My grace. 10 3:5,6 Ex 3:11,12 4:10-15 De 33:25-27 Jos 1:9 Isa 43:2 Jer 1:6-9 Mt 10:19,20 Lu 21:15 1Co 10:13 15:10 Col 1:28,29 1Ti 1:14 Heb 4:16

for. Ps 8:2 Isa 35:3,4 40:29-31 41:13-16 Da 10:16-19 Eph 3:16 Php 4:13 Col 1:11 Heb 11:34

Most. 10,15 Mt 5:11,12

glory. 5 11:30

the power. 2Ki 2:15 Isa 4:5,6 11:2 Zep 3:17 Mt 28:18,20 1Pe 4:13,14

10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

I take. 1:4 4:8-10,17 7:4 Ac 5:41 Ro 5:3 8:35-39 Php 1:29 2:17,18 Col 1:24 Jas 1:2 1Pe 1:6,7 4:13,14

in infirmities. See on. 11:23-30

for Christ's. 4:5,11 10:18 Lu 6:22 Joh 15:21 1Co 4:10 Re 2:3

for when. See on ver. 9 13:4,9 Eph 6:10

11 I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing.

become. 1:6 11:1,16,17

for in. 12 11:5 1Co 3:4-7,22 Ga 2:6-14

though. Lu 17:10 1Co 3:7 15:8-10 Eph 3:8

12 Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.

4:2 6:4-10 11:4,6 Ro 15:18,19 1Co 1:5-7 9:2 14:18

13 For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong.

I myself. 14 11:8,9 1Co 9:6,12,15-18

forgive. 11:7

14 Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not your's but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

the third. That is, the third time I have purposed to visit you. See the parallel passages.

1:15 13:1 1Co 4:19 11:34 16:5

for I. Pr 11:30 Ac 20:33 1Co 10:33 Php 4:1,17 1Th 2:5,6,8,19,20 1Pe 5:2-4

for the. Ge 24:35,36 31:14,15 Pr 13:22 19:14 1Co 4:14,15 1Th 2:11

15 And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.

will. 9 1:6,14 2:3 7:3 Joh 10:10,11 Ga 4:10 Php 2:17 Col 1:24 1Th 2:8 2Ti 2:10

you. Gr. your souls. 14 Heb 13:17

though. 6:12,13 2Sa 13:39 17:1-4 18:33 1Co 4:8-18

16 But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile.

I did not. 13 11:9,10

being. That is, as my enemies represent. 1:12 4:2 7:2 10:2,3 1Th 2:3,5 1Pe 2:3

17 Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you?

18 2Ki 5:16,20-27 1Co 4:17 16:10

18 I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus make a gain of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps?

Titus. 2:12,13 7:2,6

with. 8:6,18

walked we not in the same spirit. 8:6,16-23 Php 2:19-22

in the same steps. Nu 16:15 1Sa 12:3,4 Ne 5:14 Ac 20:33-35 Ro 4:12 1Pe 2:21

19 Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying.

think. 3:1 5:12

we speak. See on ch. 11:10,31 Ro 9:1

but. 5:13 10:8 13:10 1Co 9:12-23 10:33 14:26

dearly. 15 7:1 Ro 12:19 1Co 10:14 Php 4:1

20 For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:

I shall not. 21 13:9

and that. 1:23,24 2:1-3 10:2,6,8,9 13:2,10 1Co 4:18-21 5:3-5

debates. 1Co 1:11 3:3,4 4:6-8,18 6:7,8 11:16-19 14:36,37 Ga 5:15,19-21 Ga 5:26 Eph 4:31,32 Jas 3:14-16 4:1-5 1Pe 2:1

whisperings. Ps 41:7 Pr 16:28 Ro 1:29

swellings. 2Pe 2:18 Jude 1:16

21 And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.

my God. 7 8:24 9:3,4

that I. 2:1-4 Ex 32:31 De 9:15,25 1Sa 15:35 Ezr 9:3 10:1 Ps 119:136 Jer 9:1 13:17 Lu 9:41,42 Ro 9:2 Php 3:18,19

sinned. 13:2

and have not. 2:5-11 7:9-11 10:6 1Co 6:9-11 Re 22:20

uncleanness. Ro 13:13 1Co 5:1,9-11 6:15-18 Ga 5:19 Eph 5:5,6 Col 3:5 1Th 4:3-7 Heb 13:4 1Pe 4:2,3 2Pe 2:10-14,18 Jude 1:7,23 Re 21:8 22:15