On behalf of such a person I will boast, but on behalf of myself I will not boast, except in my weaknesses. For if I want to boast, I will not be foolish, because I will be telling the truth, but I am refraining, so that no one can credit to me more than what he sees in me or hears anything from me, even because of the extraordinary degree of the revelations. Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan, in order that it would torment me so that I would not exalt myself.

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I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses.(A) Even if I should choose to boast,(B) I would not be a fool,(C) because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, or because of these surpassingly great revelations.(D) Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh,(E) a messenger of Satan,(F) to torment me.

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