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Wednesday, November 5th, 2025
the Week of Proper 26 / Ordinary 31
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Read the Bible

Lexham English Bible

2 Corinthians 12:5

On behalf of such a person I will boast, but on behalf of myself I will not boast, except in my weaknesses.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Humility;   Thompson Chain Reference - Selfishness-Unselfishness;   Unselfishness;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Boasting;   Vision;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Heal, Health;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Ecstasy;   Thorn in the Flesh;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Person of Christ;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Apocalyptic Literature;   Grace;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Saul of Tarsus;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Behalf;   Infirmity;   Meekness;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
I will boast about this person, but not about myself, except of my weaknesses.
King James Version (1611)
Of such a one will I glory, yet of my selfe I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.
King James Version
Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.
English Standard Version
On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses—
New American Standard Bible
In behalf of such a man I will boast; but in my own behalf I will not boast, except regarding my weaknesses.
New Century Version
I will brag about a man like that, but I will not brag about myself, except about my weaknesses.
Amplified Bible
On behalf of such a man [and his experiences] I will boast; but in my own behalf I will not boast, except in regard to my weaknesses.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
On behalf of such a man I will boast; but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in regard to my weaknesses.
Legacy Standard Bible
On behalf of such a man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in weaknesses.
Berean Standard Bible
I will boast about such a man, but I will not boast about myself, except in my weaknesses.
Contemporary English Version
I will brag about that man, but not about myself, except to say how weak I am.
Complete Jewish Bible
About such a man I will boast; but about myself I will not boast, except in regard to my weaknesses.
Darby Translation
Of such [a one] I will boast, but of myself I will not boast, unless in my weaknesses.
Easy-to-Read Version
I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself. I will boast only about my weaknesses.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Of such a man will I reioyce: of my selfe will I not reioyce, except it bee of mine infirmities.
George Lamsa Translation
Of such a person, I will boast; but of myself, I will not boast, except in my weaknesses.
Good News Translation
So I will boast about this man—but I will not boast about myself, except the things that show how weak I am.
Literal Translation
On behalf of such a one I will boast. But I will not boast on my behalf, except in my weaknesses.
American Standard Version
On behalf of such a one will I glory: but on mine own behalf I will not glory, save in my weaknesses.
Bible in Basic English
On account of such a one I will have glory: for myself I will take no glory, but only in my feeble body.
Hebrew Names Version
On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in my weaknesses.
International Standard Version
I will boast about this man, but as for myself I will boast only about my weaknesses.2 Corinthians 11:30;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
Of this I boast; but of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities.
Murdock Translation
Of him I will glory: but of myself I will not glory, except in my infirmities.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Of such a man wyll I glorie, yet of my selfe wyll I not glorie, but in myne infirmities.
English Revised Version
On behalf of such a one will I glory: but on mine own behalf I will not glory, save in [my] weaknesses.
World English Bible
On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in my weaknesses.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Of such an one I will glory; but I will not glory of myself, unless in my infirmities.
Weymouth's New Testament
Of such a one I will boast; but of myself I will not boast, except in my weaknesses.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For such maner thingis Y schal glorie; but for me no thing, no but in myn infirmytees.
Update Bible Version
On behalf of such a one I will glory: but on my own behalf I will not glory, save in [my] weaknesses.
Webster's Bible Translation
Of such one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in my infirmities.
New English Translation
On behalf of such an individual I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except about my weaknesses.
New King James Version
Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities.
New Living Translation
That experience is worth boasting about, but I'm not going to do it. I will boast only about my weaknesses.
New Life Bible
I will be proud about this man, but I will not be proud about myself except to say things which show how weak I am.
New Revised Standard
On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
On behalf of such a one as this, will I boast, but, on behalf of myself, will I not boast, save in my weaknesses; -
Douay-Rheims Bible
For such an one I will glory: but for myself I will glory nothing but in my infirmities.
Revised Standard Version
On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Of this man will I reioyce of my silfe will I not reioyce except it be of myne infirmities.
Young's Literal Translation
Of such an one I will boast, and of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Here of will I boast, but of my selfe wil I make no boast, excepte it be of myne infirmyties.
Mace New Testament (1729)
I might glory in being the man; but I will not glory in any thing relating to myself, unless it be my sufferings.
Simplified Cowboy Version
I wish I could brag about the things I heard and saw, but I'm not going to. I'm only going to brag about my weaknesses.

Contextual Overview

1 It is necessary to boast; it is not profitable, but I will proceed to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or outside the body I do not know, God knows—such a man was caught up to the third heaven, 3 and I know this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows— 4 that he was caught up to paradise and heard words not to be spoken, which it is not permitted for a person to speak. 5 On behalf of such a person I will boast, but on behalf of myself I will not boast, except in my weaknesses. 6 For if I want to boast, I will not be foolish, because I will be telling the truth, but I am refraining, so that no one can credit to me more than what he sees in me or hears anything from me, 7 even because of the extraordinary degree of the revelations. Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan, in order that it would torment me so that I would not exalt myself. 8 Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would depart from me. 9 And he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, because the power is perfected in weakness." Therefore rather I will boast most gladly in my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may reside in me. 10 Therefore I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in calamities, in persecutions and difficulties for the sake of Christ, for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

such: 2 Corinthians 12:2-4

yet: 2 Corinthians 12:9, 2 Corinthians 12:10, 2 Corinthians 11:30

Reciprocal: Romans 8:26 - infirmities 1 Corinthians 2:3 - General 2 Corinthians 10:1 - base 2 Corinthians 10:10 - but 2 Corinthians 11:18 - I will 2 Corinthians 13:9 - when Hebrews 5:2 - is compassed

Cross-References

Genesis 10:19
And the territory of the Canaanites was from Sidon in the direction of Gerar as far as Gaza, and in the direction of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha.
Genesis 11:31
And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot, the son of Haran, his grandson, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, the wife of Abram his son, and went out with them from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan. And they went to Haran, and they settled there.
Genesis 12:5
And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his nephew, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and all the persons that they had acquired in Haran, and they went out to go to the land of Canaan. And they went to the land of Canaan.
Genesis 12:8
And he moved on from there to the hill country, east of Bethel. And he pitched his tent at Bethel on the west, and at Ai on the east. And he built an altar there to Yahweh. And he called on the name of Yahweh.
Genesis 12:9
And Abram kept moving on, toward the Negev.
Genesis 14:14
When Abram heard that his relative was taken captive, he summoned his trained men, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen of them, and he went in pursuit up to Dan.
Genesis 14:21
And the king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the people, but the possessions take for yourself."
Acts 7:4
Then he went out from the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. And from there, after his father died, he caused him to move to this land in which you now live.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Of such an one will I glory,.... The apostle in great modesty seems to speak of some other person, and not himself, as caught up into the third heaven, when he yet means himself; and does as it were distinguish himself from himself; himself in paradise from himself on earth; his sense is, that though he might lawfully glory of such a person so highly exalted and favoured, yet since this was his own case, he chose to forbear, and say no more of it:

yet of myself I will not glory; though he could, and might, and did glory in the Lord, who had done such great things for him; as that he was in Christ, and knew himself to be so, had been rapt up into heaven, and heard things unutterable; yet he would not glory of these things as from himself, as owing to any merit or worthiness of his, but as instances of mere favour, grace, and goodness; if he gloried of anything of himself in his present state and condition, it should be of his weaknesses:

but in mine infirmities; not his sinful ones, for these he mourned over, and was humbled before God and man under a sense of; but his many pressing difficulties of life, heavy reproaches, very great afflictions, and violent persecutions he endured for Christ's sake; see 2 Corinthians 12:10.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Of such an one will I glory - Of such a man it would be right to boast. It would be admitted that it is right to exult in such a man, and to esteem him to be uniquely favored by God. I will boast of him as having received special honor from the Lord. Bloomfield, however, supposes that the words rendered “of such an one should be translated “of such a thing,” or of such a transaction; meaning” I can indeed justly boast of my being caught up to heaven as of a thing the whole glory of which pertains to him who has thus exalted me; but of myself, or of anything in me, I will not boast.” So Rosenmuller explains it. But it seems to me that the connection requires that we should understand it of a person, and that the passage is partly ironical. Paul speaks in the third person. He chooses to keep himself directly out of view. And though he refers really to himself, yet he wound not say this directly, but says that of such a man they would admit it would be proper to boast.

Yet of myself - Directly. It is not expedient for me to boast of myself. “You would allow me to boast of such a man as I have referred to; I admit that it is not proper for me to boast directly of myself.”

But in mine infirmities - My weaknesses, trials, pains, sufferings; such as many regard as infirmities; see the note on 2 Corinthians 11:30.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Corinthians 12:5. Of such a one will I glory — Through modesty he does not mention himself, though the account can be understood of no other person; for, did he mean any other, the whole account would be completely irrelevant.


 
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