1 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.

El gloriarse es necesario, aunque no es provechoso. Pasaré entonces a las visiones y revelaciones del Señor.

2 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.)

Conozco a un hombre en Cristo, que hace catorce años (no sé si en el cuerpo, no sé si fuera del cuerpo, Dios lo sabe ) el tal fue arrebatado hasta el tercer cielo.

3 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.

Y conozco a tal hombre (si en el cuerpo o fuera del cuerpo no lo sé, Dios lo sabe )

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

que fue arrebatado al paraíso, y escuchó palabras inefables que al hombre no se le permite expresar.

5 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.

De tal hombre sí me gloriaré; pero en cuanto a mí mismo, no me gloriaré sino en mis debilidades.

6 E ven 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.

Porque si quisiera gloriarme, no sería insensato, pues diría la verdad. Pero me abstengo de hacerlo para que nadie piense de mí más de lo que ve en mí, u oye de mí.

7 T he 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.

Y dada la extraordinaria grandeza de las revelaciones, por esta razón, para impedir que me enalteciera, me fue dada una espina en la carne, un mensajero de Satanás que me abofetee, para que no me enaltezca.

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

Acerca de esto, tres veces he rogado al Señor para que lo quitara de mí.

9 H e 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.

Y El me ha dicho: “Te basta Mi gracia, pues Mi poder se perfecciona en la debilidad.” Por tanto, con muchísimo gusto me gloriaré más bien en mis debilidades, para que el poder de Cristo more en mí.

10 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.

Por eso me complazco en las debilidades, en insultos (maltratos), en privaciones, en persecuciones y en angustias por amor a Cristo, porque cuando soy débil, entonces soy fuerte.

11 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.

Me he vuelto insensato; ustedes me obligaron a ello. Pues yo debiera haber sido elogiado por ustedes, porque en ningún sentido fui inferior a los más eminentes apóstoles, aunque nada soy.

12 W hen 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.

Entre ustedes se operaron las señales (los milagros) de un verdadero apóstol, con toda perseverancia, por medio de señales, prodigios, y milagros.

13 W hat 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!

Pues ¿en qué fueron tratados como inferiores a las demás iglesias, excepto en que yo mismo no fui una carga para ustedes ? ¡Perdónenme este agravio! Planes para Visitar Corinto por Tercera Vez

14 T his 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.

Miren, ésta es la tercera vez que estoy preparado para ir a ustedes, y no les seré una carga, pues no busco lo que es de ustedes, sino a ustedes. Porque los hijos no tienen la responsabilidad de atesorar para sus padres, sino los padres para sus hijos.

15 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.

Y yo con mucho gusto gastaré lo mío, y aun yo mismo me gastaré por sus almas. Si los amo más, ¿seré amado menos ?

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

Pero, en todo caso, yo no les fui carga. No obstante, siendo astuto, los sorprendí con engaño.

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

¿Acaso he tomado ventaja de ustedes por medio de alguien de los que les he enviado ?

18 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?

A Tito le rogué que fuera, y con él envié al otro hermano. ¿Acaso obtuvo Tito ventaja de ustedes? ¿No nos hemos conducido nosotros en el mismo espíritu y seguido las mismas pisadas ?

19 I t 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.

Todo este tiempo ustedes han estado pensando que nos defendíamos ante ustedes. En realidad, es delante de Dios que hemos estado hablando en Cristo; y todo esto, amados, es para su edificación.

20 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.

Porque temo que quizá cuando yo vaya, halle que no son lo que deseo, y yo sea hallado por ustedes que no soy lo que desean. Que quizá haya pleitos, celos, enojos, rivalidades, difamaciones, chismes, arrogancia, desórdenes.

21 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.

Temo que cuando los visite de nuevo, mi Dios me humille delante de ustedes, y yo tenga que llorar por muchos que han pecado anteriormente y no se han arrepentido de la impureza, inmoralidad y sensualidad que han practicado.