MODERN LITERAL VERSION

12:1 It is not advantageous for me to boast! For* I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.
12:2 I know a man in Christ, who fourteen years before, (whether in the body, I do not know or outside of the body, I do not know; God knows), such a one was seized up to the third heaven.
12:3 And I know such a man (whether in the body or outside of the body, I do not know; God knows),
12:4 that he was taken away into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not legal for man to utter.
12:5 I will boast on behalf of such a one, but I will not boast on my own behalf, except in my weaknesses.
12:6 For* if I wish to boast, I will not be foolish; for* I will speak the truth, but I am refraining because no one should reason of me beyond what he sees from me or hears anything out of me.
12:7 And, in order that I should not promote myself by the excellence of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of the Adversary that* it might batter me, that* I should not promote myself.
12:8 I pleaded with the Lord three times in regard to this thing, that* it might withdraw from me.
12:9 And he has said to me, My grace is enough for you; for* my power is perfected in weakness. Therefore I will rather gladly boast in my weaknesses, that* the power of Christ might reside upon me.
12:10 Hence I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in calamities, in persecutions, in distresses, on behalf of Christ; for* when I may be weak, then I am strong.

12:11 I have become a boasting fool. You* urged me to it. For* I ought to have been commended by you*; for* I fell-short in nothing over those preeminent apostles, even if I am nothing.
12:12 Indeed the signs of an apostle were worked among you* in all endurance, in signs and wonders and miracles.
12:13 For* in what is it that you* were lesser, over the rest of the congregations*, except in that I myself did not encumber you*? Forgive* me this unrighteousness!

12:14 Behold, I am ready to come to you* the third time, and I will not encumber you*; for* I am not seeking what is yours*, but you*; for* the children ought not to store up for the parents, but the parents for the children.
12:15 Now I will gladly spend and be utterly spent on behalf of your* souls; even if, when loving* you* even-more, means I am loved* even-less.
12:16 But let it be so, nevertheless, I did not burden you*, but, being* crafty, I took you* with treachery.
12:17 By anyone whom I have sent to you*, did I take-advantage of you* through him?
12:18 I encouraged Titus and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus take-advantage of any of you*? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same footprints?

12:19 Again, do you* think that we are defending ourselves to you*? We speak in Christ in the sight of God. But beloved, all things are on behalf of your* building up.
12:20 For* I fear, lest, when I come, I should find you* such-as I do not will and I myself might be found by you* such-as you* do not will; lest there should be strifes, jealousies, wrath, selfish ambitions, slander, malicious whisperers, arrogance, unrests;
12:21 lest again when I come my God will humble me before you* and I might mourn for many of those who have sinned before and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and unbridled-lusts which they practiced.