1 WYC If it bihoueth to haue glorie, it spedith not; but Y schal come to the visiouns and to the reuelaciouns of the Lord. BSB BSB: I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to gain, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord.
2 WYC I woot a man in Crist that bifore fouretene yeer; whether in bodi, whether out of the bodi, Y woot not, God woot; that siche a man was rauyschid `til to the thridde heuene. BSB BSB: I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of it I do not know, but God knows.
3 WYC And Y woot sich a man; whether in bodi, or out of bodi, Y noot, God woot; BSB BSB: And I know that this man—whether in the body or out of it I do not know, but God knows—
4 WYC that he was rauyschid in to paradis, and herde preuy wordis, whiche it is not leueful to a man to speke. BSB BSB: was caught up to Paradise. The things he heard were inexpressible, things that man is not permitted to tell.
5 WYC For such maner thingis Y schal glorie; but for me no thing, no but in myn infirmytees. BSB BSB: I will boast about such a man, but I will not boast about myself, except in my weaknesses.
6 WYC For if Y schal wilne to glorie, Y schal not be vnwijs, for Y schal seie treuthe; but Y spare, lest ony man gesse me ouer that thing that he seeth in me, or herith ony thing of me. BSB BSB: Even if I wanted to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me,
8 WYC For whiche thing thries Y preiede the Lord, that it schulde go awei fro me. BSB BSB: Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.
9 WYC And he seide to me, My grace suffisith to thee; for vertu is parfitli maad in infirmyte. Therfor gladli Y schal glorie in myn infirmytees, that the vertu of Crist dwelle in me. BSB BSB: But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me.
10 WYC For which thing Y am plesid in myn infirmytees, in dispisyngis, in nedis, in persecuciouns, in anguyschis, for Crist; for whanne Y am sijk, thanne Y am miyti. BSB BSB: That is why, for the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
11 WYC Y am maad vnwitti, ye constreyneden me. For Y ouyte to be comendid of you; for Y dide no thing lesse than thei that ben apostlis `aboue maner. BSB BSB: I have become a fool, but you drove me to it. In fact, you should have commended me, since I am in no way inferior to those “super-apostles,” even though I am nothing.
12 WYC Thouy Y am nouyt, netheles the signes of myn apostilhed ben maad on you, in al pacience, and signes, and grete wondris, and vertues. BSB BSB: The marks of a true apostle—signs, wonders, and miracles—were performed among you with great perseverance.
13 WYC And what is it, that ye hadden lesse than othere chirchis, but that Y my silf greuyde you not? Foryyue ye to me this wrong. BSB BSB: In what way were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!
14 WYC Lo! this thridde tyme Y am redi to come to you, and Y schal not be greuous to you; for Y seke not tho thingis that ben youre, but you. For nether sones owen to tresoure to fadir and modir, but the fadir and modir to the sones. BSB BSB: See, I am ready to come to you a third time, and I will not be a burden, because I am not seeking your possessions, but you. For children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.
15 WYC For Y schal yyue moost wilfuli, and Y my silf schal be youun aboue for youre soulis; thouy Y more loue you, and be lesse louyd. BSB BSB: And for the sake of your souls, I will most gladly spend my money and myself. If I love you more, will you love me less?
16 WYC But be it; Y greuyde not you, but whanne Y was sutil, Y took you with gile. BSB BSB: Be that as it may, I was not a burden to you; but crafty as I am, I caught you by trickery.
17 WYC Whether Y disseyuede you bi ony of hem, which Y sente to you? BSB BSB: Did I exploit you by anyone I sent you?
18 WYC Y preiede Tite, and Y sente with hym a brother. Whether Tite begilide you? whether we yeden not in the same spirit? whether not in the same steppis? BSB BSB: I urged Titus to visit you, and I sent our brother with him. Did Titus exploit you in any way? Did we not walk in the same Spirit and follow in the same footsteps?
19 WYC Sum tyme ye wenen, that we schulen excuse vs anentis you. Bifor God in Crist we speken; and, moost dere britheren, alle thingis for youre edifiyng. BSB BSB: Have you been thinking all along that we were making a defense to you? We speak before God in Christ, and all of this, beloved, is to build you up.
20 WYC But Y drede, lest whanne Y come, Y schal fynde you not suche as Y wole, and Y schal be foundun of you suche as ye wolen not; lest perauenture stryuyngis, enuyes, sturdynessis, dissenciouns and detraccions, preuy spechis of discord, bolnyngis bi pride, debatis ben among you; BSB BSB: For I am afraid that when I come, I may not find you as I wish, and you may not find me as you wish. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, rage, rivalry, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder.
21 WYC and lest eftsoone whanne Y come, God make me low anentis you, and Y biweile many of hem, that bifor synneden, and diden not penaunce on the vnclennesse, and fornicacioun, and vnchastite, that thei han don. BSB BSB: I am afraid that when I come again, my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of their acts of impurity, sexual immorality, and debauchery.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.