Paul’s Thorn and God’s Grace

5 I will boast about such a man, but I will not boast about myself, except in [my] weaknesses. 6 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,

7 or because of these surpassingly great revelations. So to keep me from becoming conceited,[fn] I was given a thorn in [my] flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 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 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.