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If I wanted to boast, I would be no fool in doing so, because I would be telling the truth. But I won’t do it, because I don’t want anyone to give me credit beyond what they can see in my life or hear in my message, even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.

Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 10 That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

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Even if I should choose to boast,(A) I would not be a fool,(B) 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.(C) Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh,(D) a messenger of Satan,(E) to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.(F) But he said to me, “My grace(G) is sufficient for you, for my power(H) is made perfect in weakness.(I)(J) Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight(K) in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships,(L) in persecutions,(M) in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.(N)

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