1st Samuel

KING JAMES BIBLE

1 IT is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.
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.
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.
5 Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.
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.
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.
8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
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.
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.
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.
12 Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.
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.
14 Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.
15 And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.
16 But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile.
17 Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you?
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?
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.
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:
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.

KING JAMES 1611

1It is not expedient for me, doubtlesse, to glory, I wil come to visions and reuelations of the Lord.

2I knewe a man in Christ aboue foureteene yeeres agoe, whether in the body, I cannot tell, or whether out of the body, I cannot tell, God knoweth: such a one, caught vp to the third heauen.

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

4How that he was caught vp into Paradise, and heard vnspeakeable wordes, which it is not lawfull for a man to vtter.

5Of such a one will I glory, yet of my selfe I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.

6For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a foole: for I will say the trueth. But now I forbeare, lest any man should thinke of me aboue that which hee seeth me to bee, or that hee heareth of me:

7And least I should bee exalted aboue measure through the abundance of the reuelations, there was giuen to me a thorne in the flesh, the messenger of Sathan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted aboue measure.

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

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

10Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christes sake: for when I am weake, then am I strong.

11I am become a foole in glorying, ye haue compelled me. For I ought to haue beene commended of you: for in nothing am I behinde the very chiefest Apostles, though I be nothing.

12Truely the signes of an Apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signes and wonders, and mightie deeds.

13For what is it wherein yee were inferior to other Churches, except it bee that I my selfe was not burthensome to you? forgiue me this wrong.

14Behold, the third time I am readie to come to you, and I will not bee burthensome to you; for I seeke not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay vp for the parents, but the parents for the children.

15And I wil very gladly spend and bee spent for you, though the more abundantly I loue you, the lesse I bee loued.

16But be it so: I did not burthen you: neuerthelesse beeing craftie, I caught you with guile.

17Did I make a gaine of you by any of them, whom I sent vnto you?

18I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother: did Titus make a gaine of you? Walked wee not in the same spirit? walked wee not in the same steps?

19Againe, thinke you that we excuse our selues vnto you? wee speake before God in Christ: but wee doe all things, dearely beloued, for your edifying.

20For I feare lest when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall bee found vnto you such as ye would not, lest there bee debates, enuyings, wraths, strifes, backebitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults,

21And least when I come againe, my God will humble mee among you, and that I shall bewaile many which haue sinned alreadie, and haue not repented of the vncleannesse, and fornication, and lasciuiousnesse which they haue committed.

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THE NEW AMERICAN BIBLE

1 I must boast; not that it is profitable, but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2 I know someone in Christ who, fourteen years ago (whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows), was caught up to the third heaven. 3 And I know that this person (whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows) 4 was caught up into Paradise and heard ineffable things, which no one may utter. 5 About this person I will boast, but about myself I will not boast, except about my weaknesses. 6 Although if I should wish to boast, I would not be foolish, for I would be telling the truth. But I refrain, so that no one may think more of me than what he sees in me or hears from me 7 because of the abundance of the revelations. Therefore, that I might not become too elated, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan, to beat me, to keep me from being too elated. 8 Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it might leave me, 9 but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me. 10 Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong. 11 I have been foolish. You compelled me, for I ought to have been commended by you. For I am in no way inferior to these "superapostles," even though I am nothing. 12 The signs of an apostle were performed among you with all endurance, signs and wonders, and mighty deeds. 13 In what way were you less privileged than the rest of the churches, except that on my part I did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong! 14 Now I am ready to come to you this third time. And I will not be a burden, for I want not what is yours, but you. Children ought not to save for their parents, but parents for their children. 15 I will most gladly spend and be utterly spent for your sakes. If I love you more, am I to be loved less? 16 But granted that I myself did not burden you, yet I was crafty and got the better of you by deceit. 17 Did I take advantage of you through any of those I sent to you? 18 I urged Titus to go and sent the brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? And in the same steps? 19 Have you been thinking all along that we are defending ourselves before you? In the sight of God we are speaking in Christ, and all for building you up, beloved. 20 For I fear that when I come I may find you not such as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish; that there may be rivalry, jealousy, fury, selfishness, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder. 21 I fear that when I come again my God may humiliate me before you, and I may have to mourn over many of those who sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, immorality, and licentiousness they practiced.

COMMENTARIE

v1-6. Paul continues to refute the false teachers with the admission that he does not like to boast. They may have claimed visions, but Paul relates a vision that would far surpass any they might claim. The first heaven is the area of clouds, the second the area of stars, the third, the abode of God, paradise. This was where he was caught up, in vision, possibly like John on Patmos. He saw things not illegal, but which were too remarkable to convey in human language. He will give glory to the Lord, but instead of boasting of that experience, he will continue to merely speak of his weaknesses.
v7. God gave Paul an unnamed physical disability to keep him humble. We know he had eye problems, possibly ophthalmia which was common in the area. This would have made it hard for him to see, Gal. 6:11, and made his appearance repulsive. Believers in Gal. 4:15 would gladly have given him their eyes if they could. It is best not to know for sure, so that we too may recognize if the Lord is dealing with us, with our “thorn”.
v8-10. After three times earnestly praying for healing, God assured him that he would give him the grace to endure instead. This Paul accepted, and instead of complaining, he is able to boast in assurance of what God’s grace can do through him. He realizes that when he is under the stress of his weaknesses, he can accomplish the most for the Lord because he will be relying on Him.
v11-13. Paul regrets that their accusations forced him into boasting. Now he presents proof of his apostleship which they cannot honestly deny. He ends his defense with an ironical stab at his opponents. Where they were apparently gaining financial support from the people, Paul had taken nothing from them. He has done everything for them that he has done for other churches except take their financial support.
v14-19. We don’t know when he made his second trip to Corinth. Paul was not criticizing them for lack of support. As a parent for a child, he was glad to spend in their behalf. Neither Paul, Titus, or any others from him had made financial gain from them. Contrary to any accusations his opponents may have made about Paul preaching for profit., He was just glad to do these things at no charge to them, in order that he might build them up in the Lord, and that was his sole motive.
20,21. Because of what had been going on there, Paul feared that when he visited he would find a compounding of sins. The listing in v20 can be harmful in any church, and the immoral sins of v21 were so common in that area and some were reverting back to them. Paul didn’t want to have to be humiliated by those things.