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OET (OET-LV) And he_has_said to_me:
Is_sufficing for_you the grace of_me, because/for the power in weakness is_being_finished.
Therefore most_gladly rather I_will_be_boasting in the weaknesses of_me, in_order_that may_take_residence in me the power of_the chosen_one/messiah.
OET (OET-RV) and he told me, “Is my grace good enough for you? My power reaches its conclusion through weakness.” Therefore I’ll quite gladly boast about my weaknesses so that the messiah’s power can take residence in me.
In this section, Paul continued boasting, but now about a vision he received (12:1). He spoke of a man who had seen into heaven through a vision (12:2). He indicated in 12:7 that he was the man who had seen the vision. But he spoke of another man to avoid sounding as if he was boasting. He did not want people to stop honoring him because he had seen that vision. He was not sure whether his body had been taken to heaven or whether it was only a vision (12:3). In the vision he saw amazing things (12:4). He told the Corinthians that regarding himself, he would only boast of his weaknesses (12:5). He explained why he normally avoided speaking of that vision (12:6).
Paul told of a physical ailment and why he had it (12:7). He told them that he had prayed that God would heal it (12:8). But God had said that he would not heal it. He promised that his grace would be enough to help Paul in all that he did (12:9a). God said that having that physical ailment would help show that God’s power was working though Paul (12:9b). So Paul was glad to boast in this weakness (12:9c), because when he was weak, then God’s power was strong (12:9d). He explained why he was happy when trouble occurred (12:10).
Other examples for this section heading are:
Paul’s Vision and His Thorn (NIV)
Paul discovered that God’s grace was sufficient when he was weak
God’s grace and power shown through human weakness
But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you,
But he said to me, “My grace is enough for you(sing),
And he told me, “No, my kindness is adequate for you to live/cope with that thorn/suffering.
But He said to me: Jesus replied after Paul had prayed the third time.
said: The tense on the Greek verb indicates that Jesus had answered earlier and that the answer remains the appropriate when Paul wrote this letter. For example:
has said (NASB)
Many English versions translate with a simple past tense as the BSB does.
My grace is sufficient for you: Jesus had replied that he would not remove the thorn, but that instead his grace would enable Paul to live and cope with the suffering. Other ways to translate this clause are:
My grace is enough for you (NET)
My grace is sufficient for you to live/cope with this thorn/suffering
grace: The word grace here refers to God being kind to those who do not deserve it. God does things for people because he wants to and not because they have earned it. Other ways to translate this word are:
kindness (CEV)
help
favor
See how you translated this word in 1:12 or 9:14.
for My power is perfected in weakness.”
because my power has complete influence/control in weakness.”
For if someone is weak, my strength is completely clear/evident.”
for: Jesus used the word that the BSB translates as for to introduce the reason why his grace was sufficient for Paul.
My power is perfected in weakness: The Greek words are literally “power is perfected in weakness” (as in the NASB). The word power refers to Jesus’ power. This clause indicates that when a person is weak, he has no power of his own. Therefore Jesus’ power can operate in a complete manner because no other power is available. Other ways to translate this are:
my power has complete influence/control in weakness
my power is exactly/completely shown in a person’s weakness
This will show that only my power is working in your weakness
if someone is weak, my strength is completely clear/evident
when a person is weak, then it is obvious that it is my power working in him
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses,
So I will very gladly boast about my weaknesses instead of praying that prayer.
So I will more happily praise the things that weaken me,
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as all the more gladly is literally “rather, most gladly.” The word “rather” implies that Paul would boast of his weaknesses instead of asking God to remove them. Other ways to translate this are:
Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses (NASB)
So I stopped requesting that he remove it, but rather I am very happy to brag about my weakness
so that the power of Christ may rest on me.
I will do that in order that Christ may empower me.
so that the power of Christ remains in me.
so that: This phrase introduces the purpose in boasting about his own weakness. Here is another way to translate this:
in order that (GW)
the power of Christ may rest on me: The word rest means “remain” here. If Paul lived according to his weakness and avoided trying to do things by his own power, then the power of Christ would continuously operate in his life. Other ways to translate this are:
the power of Christ may dwell in me (NASB)
Christ’s power will live in me (GW)
Christ keeps giving me his power (CEV)
Note 1 topic: writing-quotations
εἴρηκέν μοι
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί εἴρηκεν μοί Ἀρκεῖ σοί ἡ χάρις μού ἡ γάρ δύναμις ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ τελεῖται ἥδιστα Οὖν μᾶλλον καυχήσομαι ἐν ταῖς ἀσθενείαις μού ἵνα ἐπισκηνώσῃ ἐπʼ ἐμέ ἡ δύναμις τοῦ Χριστοῦ)
Paul repeats what the Lord said in response to his prayer that the thorn and its suffering be taken away. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a form that introduces the answer to a question or prayer. Alternate translation: [he has answered me]
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / quotations
μοι, ἀρκεῖ σοι ἡ χάρις μου, ἡ γὰρ δύναμις ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ τελεῖται
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί εἴρηκεν μοί Ἀρκεῖ σοί ἡ χάρις μού ἡ γάρ δύναμις ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ τελεῖται ἥδιστα Οὖν μᾶλλον καυχήσομαι ἐν ταῖς ἀσθενείαις μού ἵνα ἐπισκηνώσῃ ἐπʼ ἐμέ ἡ δύναμις τοῦ Χριστοῦ)
It may be more natural in your language to have an indirect quotation here. If you use the following alternate translation, you will need to remove the quotation marks. Alternate translation: [to me that his grace is enough for me, for his power is being made perfect in weakness]
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns
ἀρκεῖ σοι ἡ χάρις μου, ἡ γὰρ δύναμις ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ τελεῖται
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί εἴρηκεν μοί Ἀρκεῖ σοί ἡ χάρις μού ἡ γάρ δύναμις ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ τελεῖται ἥδιστα Οὖν μᾶλλον καυχήσομαι ἐν ταῖς ἀσθενείαις μού ἵνα ἐπισκηνώσῃ ἐπʼ ἐμέ ἡ δύναμις τοῦ Χριστοῦ)
If your language does not use abstract nouns for the ideas of grace, power, and weakness, you could express the same ideas in another way. Alternate translation: [How I act graciously is enough for you, for when people are weak, I perfect how powerfully I work through them]
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / yousingular
σοι
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί εἴρηκεν μοί Ἀρκεῖ σοί ἡ χάρις μού ἡ γάρ δύναμις ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ τελεῖται ἥδιστα Οὖν μᾶλλον καυχήσομαι ἐν ταῖς ἀσθενείαις μού ἵνα ἐπισκηνώσῃ ἐπʼ ἐμέ ἡ δύναμις τοῦ Χριστοῦ)
Because God is speaking to one person, Paul, the pronoun you in the quotation is singular.
Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive
ἡ γὰρ δύναμις ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ τελεῖται
the the the (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί εἴρηκεν μοί Ἀρκεῖ σοί ἡ χάρις μού ἡ γάρ δύναμις ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ τελεῖται ἥδιστα Οὖν μᾶλλον καυχήσομαι ἐν ταῖς ἀσθενείαις μού ἵνα ἐπισκηνώσῃ ἐπʼ ἐμέ ἡ δύναμις τοῦ Χριστοῦ)
If your language does not use this passive form, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. If you need to say who does the action, it is clear from the context that it is the Lord. Alternate translation: [for I make my power perfect in weakness]
Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
μᾶλλον & ἐν ταῖς ἀσθενείαις μου
rather & in the weaknesses (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί εἴρηκεν μοί Ἀρκεῖ σοί ἡ χάρις μού ἡ γάρ δύναμις ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ τελεῖται ἥδιστα Οὖν μᾶλλον καυχήσομαι ἐν ταῖς ἀσθενείαις μού ἵνα ἐπισκηνώσῃ ἐπʼ ἐμέ ἡ δύναμις τοῦ Χριστοῦ)
Here, the phrase even more could indicate that Paul will: (1) boast more in his weaknesses than he has already. Alternate translation: [more than I already have in my weaknesses] (2) boast in his weaknesses rather than praying for the removal of the thorn. Alternate translation: [in my weaknesses rather than asking God to remove them] (3) boast in his weaknesses rather than in his strengths. Alternate translation: [in my weaknesses rather than in my strengths]
Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns
ἐν ταῖς ἀσθενείαις μου, ἵνα ἐπισκηνώσῃ ἐπ’ ἐμὲ ἡ δύναμις τοῦ Χριστοῦ
in in the weaknesses (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί εἴρηκεν μοί Ἀρκεῖ σοί ἡ χάρις μού ἡ γάρ δύναμις ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ τελεῖται ἥδιστα Οὖν μᾶλλον καυχήσομαι ἐν ταῖς ἀσθενείαις μού ἵνα ἐπισκηνώσῃ ἐπʼ ἐμέ ἡ δύναμις τοῦ Χριστοῦ)
If your language does not use abstract nouns for the ideas of weaknesses and power, you could express the same ideas in another way. Alternate translation: [about how weak I am so that Christ will reside upon me to empower me] or [in how weak I am so that Christ will give his power to me]
Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / possession
ἡ δύναμις τοῦ Χριστοῦ
the the the power ˱of˲_the Messiah
Here, Paul is using the possessive form to describe power that comes from Christ. If this is not clear in your language, you could express the idea in another way. Alternate translation: [power from Christ]
Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
ἐπισκηνώσῃ ἐπ’ ἐμὲ
˓may˒_take_residence in (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί εἴρηκεν μοί Ἀρκεῖ σοί ἡ χάρις μού ἡ γάρ δύναμις ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ τελεῖται ἥδιστα Οὖν μᾶλλον καυχήσομαι ἐν ταῖς ἀσθενείαις μού ἵνα ἐπισκηνώσῃ ἐπʼ ἐμέ ἡ δύναμις τοῦ Χριστοῦ)
Here Paul speaks as if the power of Christ were a person who could reside in or upon Paul, who is pictured like a tent or house. He means that the power of Christ consistently becomes part of his life and is something that he can always have. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a similar figure of speech or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [might live in me] or [might always be with me]
OET (OET-LV) And he_has_said to_me:
Is_sufficing for_you the grace of_me, because/for the power in weakness is_being_finished.
Therefore most_gladly rather I_will_be_boasting in the weaknesses of_me, in_order_that may_take_residence in me the power of_the chosen_one/messiah.
OET (OET-RV) and he told me, “Is my grace good enough for you? My power reaches its conclusion through weakness.” Therefore I’ll quite gladly boast about my weaknesses so that the messiah’s power can take residence in me.
Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.
Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.