1 É necessário gloriar-me, embora não convenha; mas passarei a visões e revelações do Senhor.

I have to talk about myself, even if it does no good. But I will keep on telling about some things I saw in a special dream and that which the Lord has shown me.

2 C onheço um homem em Cristo que há catorze anos (se no corpo não sei, se fora do corpo não sei; Deus o sabe) foi arrebatado até o terceiro céu.

I know a man who belongs to Christ. Fourteen years ago he was taken up to the highest heaven. (I do not know if his body was taken up or just his spirit. Only God knows.)

3 S im, conheço o tal homem (se no corpo, se fora do corpo, não sei: Deus o sabe),

I say it again, I know this man was taken up. But I do not know if his body or just his spirit was taken up. Only God knows.

4 q ue foi arrebatado ao paraíso, e ouviu palavras inefáveis, as quais não é lícito ao homem referir.

When he was in the highest heaven, he heard things that cannot be told with words. No man is allowed to tell them.

5 D esse tal me gloriarei, mas de mim mesmo não me gloriarei, senão nas minhas fraquezas.

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.

6 P ois, se quiser gloriar-me, não serei insensato, porque direi a verdade;

Even if I talk about myself, I would not be a fool because it is the truth. But I will say no more because I want no one to think better of me than he does when he sees or hears me.

7 E , para que me não exaltasse demais pela excelência das revelações, foi-me dado um espinho na carne, a saber, um mensageiro de Satanás para me esbofetear, a fim de que eu não me exalte demais;

The things God showed me were so great. But to keep me from being too full of pride because of seeing these things, I have been given trouble in my body. It was sent from Satan to hurt me. It keeps me from being proud.

8 a cerca do qual três vezes roguei ao Senhor que o afastasse de mim;

I asked the Lord three times to take it away from me.

9 e ele me disse: A minha graça te basta, porque o meu poder se aperfeiçoa na fraqueza. Por isso, de boa vontade antes me gloriarei nas minhas fraquezas, a fim de que repouse sobre mim o poder de Cristo.

He answered me, “I am all you need. I give you My loving-favor. My power works best in weak people.” I am happy to be weak and have troubles so I can have Christ’s power in me.

10 P elo que sinto prazer nas fraquezas, nas injúrias, nas necessidades, nas perseguições, nas angústias por amor de Cristo. Porque quando estou fraco, então é que sou forte.

I receive joy when I am weak. I receive joy when people talk against me and make it hard for me and try to hurt me and make trouble for me. I receive joy when all these things come to me because of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

11 T ornei-me insensato; vós a isso me obrigastes; porque eu devia ser louvado por vós, visto que em nada fui inferior aos demais excelentes apóstolos, ainda que nada sou.

I have been making a fool of myself talking like this. But you made me do it. You should be telling what I have done. Even if I am nothing at all, I am not less important than those false missionaries of yours.

12 O s sinais do meu apostolado foram, de fato, operados entre vós com toda a paciência, por sinais, prodígios e milagres.

When I was with you, I proved to you that I was a true missionary. I did powerful works and there were special things to see. These things were done in the strength and power from God.

13 P ois, em que fostes feitos inferiores

What makes you feel less important than the other churches? Is it because I did not let you give me food and clothing? Forgive me for this wrong!

14 E is que pela terceira vez estou pronto a ir ter convosco, e não vos serei pesado, porque não busco o que é vosso, mas sim a vós; pois não são os filhos que devem entesourar para os pais, mas os pais para os filhos.

This is the third time I am ready to come to you. I want nothing from you. I want you, not your money. You are my children. Children should not have to help care for their parents. Parents should help their children.

15 E u de muito boa vontade gastarei, e me deixarei gastar pelas vossas almas. Se mais abundantemente vos amo, serei menos amado?

I am glad to give anything I have, even myself, to help you. When I love you more, it looks as if you love me less.

16 M as seja assim; eu não vos fui pesado; mas, sendo astuto, vos tomei com dolo.

It is true that I was not a heavy load to you. But some say I set a trap for you.

17 P orventura vos explorei por algum daqueles que vos enviei?

How could I have done that? Did I get anything from you through the men I sent to you?

18 E xortei a Tito, e enviei com ele o irmão. Porventura Tito vos explorou? Não andamos porventura no mesmo espírito? Não seguimos as mesmas pegadas?

I asked Titus and the other Christian brother to visit you. Did Titus get anything from you? Did we not do things that showed we had the same desires and followed the same plan?

19 H á muito, de certo, pensais que nos estamos desculpando convosco. Perante Deus, falamos em Cristo, e tudo isto, amados, é para vossa edificação.

It may look to you as if we had been trying to make everything look right for ourselves all this time. God knows and so does Christ that all this is done to help you.

20 P orque temo que, quando chegar, não vos ache quais eu vos quero, e que eu seja achado por vós qual não me quereis; que de algum modo haja contendas, invejas, iras, porfias, detrações, mexericos, orgulhos, tumultos;

I am afraid that when I visit you I will not find you as I would like you to be. And you will not find me as you would like me to be. I am afraid I will find you fighting and jealous and angry and arguing and talking about each other and thinking of yourselves as being too important and making trouble.

21 e que, quando for outra vez, o meu Deus me humilhe perante vós, e chore eu sobre muitos daqueles que dantes pecaram, e ainda não se arrependeram da impureza, prostituição e lascívia que cometeram.

I am afraid when I get there God will take all the pride away from me that I had for you. I will not be happy about many who have lived in sin and done sex sins and have had a desire for such things and have not been sorry for their sins and turned from them.