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.

Ciertamente no me conviene gloriarme; pero vendré 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.)

Sé de un hombre en Cristo, que hace catorce años (si en el cuerpo, no lo sé; si fuera del cuerpo, no lo sé; Dios lo sabe) 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 sé que el 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.

fue arrebatado al paraíso, y oyó palabras inefables que no le es permitido al hombre 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 me gloriaré; pero de mí mismo en nada me gloriaré, a no ser 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.

Sin embargo, si quisiera gloriarme, no sería insensato, porque diría la verdad; pero me abstengo de ello, para que nadie se forme de mí una idea superior a lo que en mí ve, 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 para que por la grandeza de las revelaciones no me exaltase desmedidamente, me fue dada una espina en mi carne, un mensajero de Satanás que me abofetee, para que no me enaltezca sobremanera;

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

respecto a lo cual tres veces he rogado al Señor, que lo quite 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 me ha dicho: Bástate mi gracia; porque mi poder se perfecciona en la debilidad. Por tanto, de muy buena gana me gloriaré más bien en mis debilidades, para que habite en mí el poder de Cristo.

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 lo cual, por amor a Cristo me complazco en las debilidades, en afrentas, en necesidades, en persecuciones, en estrecheces; 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 hecho un necio al gloriarme; vosotros me obligasteis a ello, pues yo debía ser alabado por vosotros; porque en nada he sido inferior a aquellos grandes 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.

Con todo, las señales de apóstol han sido efectuadas entre vosotros en toda paciencia, por 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!

Porque ¿en qué habéis sido inferiores a las otras iglesias, sino en que yo mismo no os he sido carga? ¡Perdonadme este agravio! Pablo anuncia su tercera visita

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.

He aquí, por tercera vez estoy preparado para ir a vosotros; y no os seré gravoso, porque no busco lo vuestro, sino a vosotros, pues no están obligados los hijos a atesorar para los padres, sino los padres para los 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 el mayor placer gastaré lo mío, y aun yo mismo me desgastaré del todo por amor de vuestras almas, aunque amándoos más, sea 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 admitiendo esto, que yo no os he sido carga; no obstante, como soy astuto, os prendí por engaño.

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

¿Acaso os he explotado por medio de alguno de los que he enviado a vosotros?

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?

Rogué a Tito, y envié con él al hermano. ¿Os explotó acaso Tito? ¿No hemos procedido con el mismo espíritu y en 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.

¿Pensáis aún que nos estamos disculpando con vosotros? Delante de Dios, en Cristo hablamos; y todo, muy amados, para vuestra 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.

Pues me temo que cuando llegue, no os halle tales como quiero, y yo sea hallado por vosotros cual no queréis; que haya entre vosotros contiendas, envidias, enojos, rivalidades, maledicencias, murmuraciones, arrogancias, 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.

que cuando os visite de nuevo, me humille Dios entre vosotros, y quizá tenga que lamentarme por muchos de los que antes han pecado, y no se han arrepentido de la inmundicia y fornicación y lascivia que han cometido.