¹Si gloriari oportet (non expedit quidem),If it is necessary (though certainly not expedient) to glory,veniam autem ad visiones et revelationes Domini.then I will next tell of visions and revelations from the Lord.

¹Si gloriari oportet (non expedit quidem),If it is necessary (though certainly not expedient) to glory,veniam autem ad visiones et revelationes Domini.then I will next tell of visions and revelations from the Lord.

²Scio hominem in Christo ante annos quatuordecim,I know a man in Christ, who, more than fourteen years ago (whether in the body,sive in corpore nescio, sive extra corpus nescio,I do not know, or out of the body,Deus scit,I do not know:raptum hujusmodi usque ad tertium cælum.God knows), was enraptured to the third heaven.

²Scio hominem in Christo ante annos quatuordecim,I know a man in Christ, who, more than fourteen years ago (whether in the body,sive in corpore nescio, sive extra corpus nescio,I do not know, or out of the body,Deus scit,I do not know:raptum hujusmodi usque ad tertium cælum.God knows), was enraptured to the third heaven.

³Et scio hujusmodi hominem sive in corpore,And I know a certain man (whether in the body,sive extra corpus nescio,or out of the body, I do not know:Deus scit:God knows),

³Et scio hujusmodi hominem sive in corpore,And I know a certain man (whether in the body,sive extra corpus nescio,or out of the body, I do not know:Deus scit:God knows),

⁴quoniam raptus est in paradisum:who was enraptured into Paradise.et audivit arcana verba,And he heard words of mystery,quæ non licet homini loqui.which it is not permitted for man to speak.

⁴quoniam raptus est in paradisum:who was enraptured into Paradise.et audivit arcana verba,And he heard words of mystery,quæ non licet homini loqui.which it is not permitted for man to speak.

⁵Pro hujusmodi gloriabor:On behalf of someone like this, I will glory.pro me autem nihil gloriabor nisi in infirmitatibus meis.But on behalf of myself, I will not glory about anything, except my infirmities.

⁵Pro hujusmodi gloriabor:On behalf of someone like this, I will glory.pro me autem nihil gloriabor nisi in infirmitatibus meis.But on behalf of myself, I will not glory about anything, except my infirmities.

⁶Nam etsi voluero gloriari,For even though I am willing to glory,non ero insipiens:I will not be foolish.veritatem enim dicam:But I will speak the truth.parco autem,Yet I will do so sparingly,ne quis me existimet supra id quod videt in me,lest anyone may consider me to be anything more than what he sees in me,aut aliquid audit ex me.or anything more than what he hears from me.

⁶Nam etsi voluero gloriari,For even though I am willing to glory,non ero insipiens:I will not be foolish.veritatem enim dicam:But I will speak the truth.parco autem,Yet I will do so sparingly,ne quis me existimet supra id quod videt in me,lest anyone may consider me to be anything more than what he sees in me,aut aliquid audit ex me.or anything more than what he hears from me.

⁷Et ne magnitudo revelationum extollat me,And lest the greatness of the revelations should extol me,datus est mihi stimulus carnis meæ angelus Satanæ,there was given to me a prodding in my flesh: an angel of Satan,qui me colaphizet.who struck me repeatedly.

⁷Et ne magnitudo revelationum extollat me,And lest the greatness of the revelations should extol me,datus est mihi stimulus carnis meæ angelus Satanæ,there was given to me a prodding in my flesh: an angel of Satan,qui me colaphizet.who struck me repeatedly.

⁸Propter quod ter Dominum rogavi ut discederet a me:Because of this, three times I petitioned the Lord that it might be taken away from me.

⁸Propter quod ter Dominum rogavi ut discederet a me:Because of this, three times I petitioned the Lord that it might be taken away from me.

⁹et dixit mihi:And he said to me:Sufficit tibi gratia mea:“My grace is sufficient for you.nam virtus in infirmitate perficitur.For virtue is perfected in weakness.” And so,Libenter igitur gloriabor in infirmitatibus meis, ut inhabitet in me virtus Christi.willingly shall I glory in my weaknesses, so that the virtue of Christ may live within me.

⁹et dixit mihi:And he said to me:Sufficit tibi gratia mea:“My grace is sufficient for you.nam virtus in infirmitate perficitur.For virtue is perfected in weakness.” And so,Libenter igitur gloriabor in infirmitatibus meis, ut inhabitet in me virtus Christi.willingly shall I glory in my weaknesses, so that the virtue of Christ may live within me.

¹⁰Propter quod placeo mihi in infirmitatibus meis,Because of this, I am pleased in my infirmity: in reproaches,in contumeliis,in difficulties,in necessitatibus,in persecutions,in persecutionibus,in distresses,in angustiis pro Christo:for the sake of Christ.cum enim infirmor,For when I am weak,tunc potens sum.then I am powerful.

¹⁰Propter quod placeo mihi in infirmitatibus meis,Because of this, I am pleased in my infirmity: in reproaches,in contumeliis,in difficulties,in necessitatibus,in persecutions,in persecutionibus,in distresses,in angustiis pro Christo:for the sake of Christ.cum enim infirmor,For when I am weak,tunc potens sum.then I am powerful.

¹¹Factus sum insipiens,I have become foolish;vos me coëgistis.you have compelled me.Ego enim a vobis debui commendari:For I ought to have been commended by you.nihil enim minus fui ab iis, qui sunt supra modum Apostoli:For I have been nothing less than those who claim to be above the measure of Apostles,tametsi nihil sum:even though I am nothing.

¹¹Factus sum insipiens,I have become foolish;vos me coëgistis.you have compelled me.Ego enim a vobis debui commendari:For I ought to have been commended by you.nihil enim minus fui ab iis, qui sunt supra modum Apostoli:For I have been nothing less than those who claim to be above the measure of Apostles,tametsi nihil sum:even though I am nothing.

¹²signa tamen apostolatus mei facta sunt super vos in omni patientia,And the seal of my Apostleship has been set over you, with all patience,in signis, et prodigiis, et virtutibus.with signs and wonders and miracles.

¹²signa tamen apostolatus mei facta sunt super vos in omni patientia,And the seal of my Apostleship has been set over you, with all patience,in signis, et prodigiis, et virtutibus.with signs and wonders and miracles.

¹³Quid est enim, quod minus habuistis præ ceteris ecclesiis,For what is there that you have had which is less than the other churches,nisi quod ego ipse non gravavi vos?except that I myself did not burden you?donate mihi hanc injuriam.Forgive me this injury.

¹³Quid est enim, quod minus habuistis præ ceteris ecclesiis,For what is there that you have had which is less than the other churches,nisi quod ego ipse non gravavi vos?except that I myself did not burden you?donate mihi hanc injuriam.Forgive me this injury.

¹⁴Ecce tertio hoc paratus sum venire ad vos:Behold, this is the third time I have prepared to come to you,et non ero gravis vobis.and yet I will not be a burden to you.Non enim quæro quæ vestra sunt,For I am seeking not the things that are yours,sed vos. Nec enim debent filii parentibus thesaurizare,but you yourselves. And neither should the children store up for the parents,sed parentes filiis.but the parents for the children.

¹⁴Ecce tertio hoc paratus sum venire ad vos:Behold, this is the third time I have prepared to come to you,et non ero gravis vobis.and yet I will not be a burden to you.Non enim quæro quæ vestra sunt,For I am seeking not the things that are yours,sed vos. Nec enim debent filii parentibus thesaurizare,but you yourselves. And neither should the children store up for the parents,sed parentes filiis.but the parents for the children.

¹⁵Ego autem libentissime impendam,And so, very willingly,et super impendar ipse pro animabus vestris:I will spend and exhaust myself for the sake of your souls,licet plus vos diligens, minus diligar.loving you more, while being loved less.

¹⁵Ego autem libentissime impendam,And so, very willingly,et super impendar ipse pro animabus vestris:I will spend and exhaust myself for the sake of your souls,licet plus vos diligens, minus diligar.loving you more, while being loved less.

¹⁶Sed esto:And so be it.ego vos non gravavi:I have not burdened you,sed cum essem astutus,but instead, being astute,dolo vos cepi.I obtained you by guile.

¹⁶Sed esto:And so be it.ego vos non gravavi:I have not burdened you,sed cum essem astutus,but instead, being astute,dolo vos cepi.I obtained you by guile.

¹⁷Numquid per aliquem eorum, quod misi ad vos, circumveni vos?And yet, did I defraud you by means of any of those whom I sent to you?

¹⁷Numquid per aliquem eorum, quod misi ad vos, circumveni vos?And yet, did I defraud you by means of any of those whom I sent to you?

¹⁸Rogavi Titum,I asked for Titus,et misi cum illo fratrem.and I sent a brother with him.Numquid Titus vos circumvenit?Did Titus defraud you?nonne eodem spiritu ambulavimus?Did we not walk with the same spirit?nonne iisdem vestigiis?Did we not walk in the same steps?

¹⁸Rogavi Titum,I asked for Titus,et misi cum illo fratrem.and I sent a brother with him.Numquid Titus vos circumvenit?Did Titus defraud you?nonne eodem spiritu ambulavimus?Did we not walk with the same spirit?nonne iisdem vestigiis?Did we not walk in the same steps?

¹⁹Olim putatis quod excusemus nos apud vos?Have you ever thought that we should explain ourselves to you?coram Deo in Christo loquimur:We speak in the sight of God, in Christ.omnia autem,But all things,carissimi,most beloved,propter ædificationem vestram.are for your edification.

¹⁹Olim putatis quod excusemus nos apud vos?Have you ever thought that we should explain ourselves to you?coram Deo in Christo loquimur:We speak in the sight of God, in Christ.omnia autem,But all things,carissimi,most beloved,propter ædificationem vestram.are for your edification.

²⁰Timeo enim ne forte cum venero,Yet I fear, lest perhaps,non quales volo,when I have arrived,inveniam vos: et ego inveniar a vobis,I might not find you such as I would want,qualem non vultis:and I might be found by you,ne forte contentiones,such as you would not want.æmulationes, animositates,For perhaps there may be among you:dissensiones,contention,detractiones,envy, animosity,susurrationes,dissension, detraction,inflationes,whispering,seditiones sint inter vos:self-exaltation, and rebellion.

²⁰Timeo enim ne forte cum venero,Yet I fear, lest perhaps,non quales volo,when I have arrived,inveniam vos: et ego inveniar a vobis,I might not find you such as I would want,qualem non vultis:and I might be found by you,ne forte contentiones,such as you would not want.æmulationes, animositates,For perhaps there may be among you:dissensiones,contention,detractiones,envy, animosity,susurrationes,dissension, detraction,inflationes,whispering,seditiones sint inter vos:self-exaltation, and rebellion.

²¹ne iterum cum venero,If so, then, when I have arrived,humiliet me Deus apud vos,God may again humble me among you.et lugeam multos ex iis qui ante peccaverunt,And so, I mourn for the many who sinned beforehand,et non egerunt pœnitentiam super immunditia, et fornicatione,and did not repent, over the lust and fornication and homosexuality,et impudicitia, quam gesserunt.which they have committed.

²¹ne iterum cum venero,If so, then, when I have arrived,humiliet me Deus apud vos,God may again humble me among you.et lugeam multos ex iis qui ante peccaverunt,And so, I mourn for the many who sinned beforehand,et non egerunt pœnitentiam super immunditia, et fornicatione,and did not repent, over the lust and fornication and homosexuality,et impudicitia, quam gesserunt.which they have committed.