2 Corinthians 12:7–10
Paul, with his thorn in the flesh, hears: "My grace is enough for you"
Study it word by word7And because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations —therefore, so that I would not become conceited, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to beat me— so that I would not become conceited.
8About this three times I begged the Lord that it might depart from me.
9And he has said to me, “My grace is enough for you, for power is made complete in weakness.” So most gladly I will boast all the more in my weaknesses, so that the power of the Messiah may dwell upon me.
10Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions and distresses, for the sake of the Messiah; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
In its context
5About such a one I will boast, but about myself I will not boast, except in my weaknesses.
6For if I should want to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain, lest anyone credit to me more than what he sees in me or hears from me,
…
11I have become a fool; you forced me to it. For I ought to have been commended by you; for I fell short in nothing of those super-apostles, even though I am nothing.
12The signs of the apostle were performed among you in all perseverance, by both signs and wonders and miracles.
Its words in the original
- ὑπερβολῇhyperbolēi· surpassing, beyond measure
Excess, surpassing greatness; "beyond measure", exceedingly.
- ἀποκαλύψεωνapokalypseōn· revelation
Revelation: an uncovering, making known what was hidden.
- διὸdio· therefore
"Therefore", "for this reason".
- ὑπεραίρωμαιhyperairōmai· exalt oneself
Exalt oneself, rise above others, become proud.
- ἐδόθηedothē· give
Give.
- σκόλοψskolops· thorn
Thorn, pointed stake; used for a suffering that stayed with Paul.
- σαρκίsarki· flesh
Flesh: the body, and weak human nature; "flesh and blood", a human being with only human strength.
- ἄγγελοςangelos· messenger, angel
Messenger. When sent from heaven, an angel.
- ΣατανᾶSatana· Satan
Satan, a Hebrew name meaning "the adversary", the enemy of God.
- κολαφίζῃkolaphizēi· beat with fists
Punch, beat with the fist.
- τρὶςtris· three times
Three times.
- κύριονkyrion· Lord, lord
Lord, master, owner. Said of God, the Lord; in Old Testament quotations it stands for the name YHWH.
- παρεκάλεσαparekalesa· urge, comfort
Call to one's side; plead with, encourage, comfort.
- ἀποστῇapostēi· withdraw, depart
Withdraw, go away, depart from; also fall away; in the active, cause to revolt.
- εἴρηκένeirēken· say
Say, speak; in the passive, "be called".
- ἈρκεῖArkei· be enough
Be enough, suffice; also be content.
- χάριςcharis· grace
Grace, favor.
- δύναμιςdynamis· power, mighty work
Power, strength, ability. In the plural, works of power: miracles.
- ἀσθενείᾳastheneiai· weakness, illness
Weakness, illness.
- τελεῖταιteleitai· finish, complete
Finish, complete, fulfill.
- ἥδισταhēdista· most gladly
Most gladly, with the greatest pleasure.
- μᾶλλονmallon· more, rather
More, rather.
- καυχήσομαιkauchēsomai· boast
Boast, take pride in something; in a good sense, glory or rejoice in it.
- ἐπισκηνώσῃepiskēnōsēi· rest upon
Rest upon, pitch a tent over someone, cover.
- ΧριστοῦChristou· Messiah
Messiah: literally "anointed", the king or envoy God consecrates with oil. It is a title, not a surname; in Hebrew, mashiach.
- εὐδοκῶeudokō· be pleased
Be pleased with, delight in someone; also gladly decide.
- ὕβρεσινhybresin· insult, damage
Insolence, insult, violent treatment; harm, damage.
- ἀνάγκαιςanankais· necessity, distress
Necessity, what cannot be avoided; also distress, hardship.
- διωγμοῖςdiōgmois· persecution
Persecution.
- στενοχωρίαιςstenochōriais· distress
Distress, anguish: being hemmed in with no way out.
- ὅτανhotan· when, whenever
When, whenever.
- ἀσθενῶasthenō· be sick
Be sick, be weak.
- τότεtote· then
Then, at that time.
- δυνατόςdynatos· possible, powerful
Possible; also strong, powerful, able.
- εἰμιeimi· be
Be, exist.