¹It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. For I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

¹Rose mig må jeg Gavnligt er det vel ikke; men jeg vil komme til Syner og Åbenbarelser fra Herren.

²I know a man in Christ, fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I don’t know, or whether out of the body, I don’t know; God knows), such a one caught up into the third heaven.

²Jeg kender et Menneske i Kristus, som for fjorten År siden om han var i Legemet, det ved jeg ikke, eller uden for Legemet, det ved jeg ikke, Gud ved det blev bortrykket indtil den tredje Himmel.

³I know such a man (whether in the body, or outside of the body, I don’t know; God knows),

³Og jeg ved, at dette Menneske (om han var i Legemet, eller uden Legemet, det ved jeg ikke, Gud ved det),

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

⁴at han blev bortrykket ind i Paradiset, og hørte uudsigelige Ord, som det ikke er et Menneske tilladt at udtale.

⁵On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in my weaknesses.

⁵Af en sådan vil jeg rose mig; men af mig selv vil jeg ikke rose mig, uden af min Magtesløshed.

⁶For if I would desire to boast, I will not be foolish; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, so that no man may think more of me than that which he sees in me, or hears from me.

⁶Thi vel bliver jeg ikke en Dåre, om jeg vilde rose mig; thi det vil være Sandhed, jeg siger; men jeg afholder mig derfra, for at ingen skal tænke højere om mig, end hvad han ser mig være, eller hvad han hører af mig.

⁷By reason of the exceeding greatness of the revelations, that I should not be exalted excessively, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, that I should not be exalted excessively.

⁷Og for at jeg ikke skal hovmode mig af de høje Åbenbarelser, blev der givet mig en Torn i Kødet, en Satans Engel, for at han skulde slå mig i Ansigtet, for at jeg ikke skulde hovmode mig.

⁸Concerning this thing, I begged the Lord three times that it might depart from me.

⁸Om denne bad jeg Herren tre Gange, at han måtte vige fra mig;

⁹He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me.

⁹og han har sagt mig: "Min Nåde er dig nok; thi Kraften fuldkommes i Magtesløshed." Allerhelst vil jeg derfor rose mig af min Magtesløshed, for at Kristi Kraft kan tage Bolig i mig.

¹⁰Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong.

¹⁰Derfor er jeg veltilfreds under Magtesløshed, under Overlast, under Nød, under Forfølgelser, under Angster for Kristi Skyld; thi når jeg er magtesløs, da er jeg stærk.

¹¹I have become foolish in boasting. You compelled me, for I ought to have been commended by you, for in nothing was I inferior to the very best apostles, though I am nothing.

¹¹Jeg er bleven en Dåre. I tvang mig dertil. Jeg burde jo anbefales af eder; thi jeg har ikke stået tilbage i noget for de såre store Apostle, om jeg end, intet er.

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

¹²En Apostels Tegn bleve jo udførte, iblandt eder under Udholdenhed, ved Tegn og Undere og kraftige Gerninger.

¹³For what is there in which you were made inferior to the rest of the assemblies, unless it is that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong.

¹³Thi hvad er det vel, hvori I bleve stillede ringere end de andre Menigheder; uden at jeg ikke selv faldt eder til Byrde? Tilgiver mig denne Uret!

¹⁴Behold, this is the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you; for I seek not your possessions, but you. For the children ought not to save up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

¹⁴Se, dette er nu tredje Gang, jeg står rede til at komme til eder, og jeg vil ikke falde til Byrde; thi jeg søger ikke eders Gods, men eder selv, thi Børnene skulle ikke samle sammen til Forældrene, men Forældrene til Børnene.

¹⁵I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more abundantly, am I loved the less?

¹⁵Men jeg vil med Glæde gøre Opofrelser ja, opofres for eders Sjæle. Mon jeg, når jeg elsker eder højere, elskes mindre?

¹⁶But be it so, I did not myself burden you. But, being crafty, I caught you with deception.

¹⁶Men lad så være, at jeg ikke har været eder til Byrde, men jeg var træsk og fangede eder med List!

¹⁷Did I take advantage of you by anyone of them whom I have sent to you?

¹⁷Har jeg da gjort mig Fordel af eder ved nogen af dem, jeg har sendt til eder?

¹⁸I exhorted Titus, and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus take any advantage of you? Didn’t we walk in the same spirit? Didn’t we walk in the same steps?

¹⁸Jeg opfordrede Titus og sendte Broderen med; har Titus da gjort sig nogen Fordel af eder? Vandrede vi ikke i den samme Ånd, i de samme Fodspor?

¹⁹Again, do you think that we are excusing ourselves to you? In the sight of God we speak in Christ. But all things, beloved, are for your edifying.

¹⁹Alt længe have I ment, at vi forsvare os for eder. Nej, for Guds Åsyn tale vi i Kristus. Men det sker alt sammen, I elskede, for eders Opbyggelses Skyld.

²⁰For I am afraid that by any means, when I come, I might find you not the way I want to, and that I might be found by you as you don’t desire; that by any means there would be strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, whisperings, proud thoughts, riots;

²⁰Thi jeg frygter for, at, når jeg kommer, jeg da måske ikke skal finde eder sådanne, som jeg ønsker, og at jeg skal findes af eder sådan, som I ikke ønske; at der skal være Kiv, Nid, Hidsighed, Rænker, Bagtalelser, Øretuderier, Opblæsthed, Klammerier,

²¹that again when I come my God would humble me before you, and I would mourn for many of those who have sinned before now, and not repented of the uncleanness and sexual immorality and lustfulness which they committed.

²¹at min Gud, når jeg kommer igen, skal ydmyge mig i Anledning af eder, og jeg skal sørge over mange af dem, som forhen have syndet og ikke have omvendt sig fra den Urenhed og Utugt og Uterlighed, som de bedreve.