UTN uW Translation Notes:

2 Corinthians 12 General Notes

Structure and Formatting

7. Paul defends his apostolic authority (10:1–13:10) * Paul’s ascent to heaven and the thorn in the flesh (12:1–10) * Paul concludes his boasting (12:11–13) * Paul defends his financial conduct (12:14–18) * Paul warns the Corinthians about his third visit (12:19–13:10)

Special Concepts in this Chapter

Paul’s trip to heaven

In 12:1–6, Paul speaks about how he temporarily ascended to heaven 14 years before he wrote this letter. He speaks about this experience in the third person to avoid directly boasting about himself. Also, he gives very few details about his experience. He describes how he went to the third heaven and paradise, that he heard words he cannot tell to others, and that he is not sure whether he ascended in his body or without his body (which would be either spiritually or in a dream). Paul gives enough details to show that he really did ascend to heaven, but he does not want to tell the Corinthians about what he learned and saw there. In other words, he only “boasts” about this experience to show the Corinthians that he is truly an apostle even according to their standards. However, he thinks it is better to boast about how Christ works through him when he is weak, which is Christ’s standard for being an apostle.

The third heaven and Paradise

In Paul’s culture, many people believed that there were different levels or layers in heaven, but they disagreed on how many levels or layers there were. Some people thought that there was only one layer, while others thought that there were three, five, seven, or ten layers. Because of the various options, we cannot be sure whether the “third heaven” is the highest heaven or whether it is the third out of more layers of heaven. When Paul uses the word “Paradise,” he is most likely referring to the place where believers go after they die and before they resurrect. The way he refers to Paradise could imply either that it is the third heaven or that it is part of the third heaven. However, we cannot be sure about this either. Since we do not know Paul’s view about the layers of heaven or about the location of Paradise, it is best not to include any implied information on these issues in your translation.

The thorn in the flesh

In 12:7–8, Paul refers to a “thorn in the flesh” that was given to him. He further names this “thorn” as a “messenger of Satan.” There are three primary possibilities for what the thorn could be. First, it could be some kind of sickness, disease, or ailment. Second, it could be opposition from other people who wish to stop Paul from preaching the gospel. Third, it could a demon who tries to keep Paul from serving Christ. However, since we do not know anything else about this “thorn,” it is impossible to identify exactly what Paul is writing about. What is clear is that the “thorn” makes Paul’s life difficult and painful. Your translation should be general enough to allow for all of these interpretations since Paul’s language is also this general.

Financial support for teachers

In this chapter, Paul continues to state that he did not and will not ask for or receive money and support from the Corinthians. In Paul’s culture, it was common for traveling teachers to ask for and receive money from the people they were teaching, and Paul’s opponents apparently did so. Paul, however, does not do so, and he explains further in this chapter why he acts in that way. Continue to express the idea as you did in the previous chapter.

Boasting

Just as in the previous two chapters, in this chapter Paul refers multiple times to boasting. In Paul’s culture, not all boasting was considered bad. Instead, there were good and bad kinds of boasting. In these verses, Paul boasts because his opponents, the false teachers, boast. He does not think that this boasting is necessary or good, but he does it to respond to his opponents. Continue to express the idea as you did in the previous chapters. (See: boast)

Paul’s third visit

In 12:14 and in 12:20–21, Paul refers to visiting the Corinthians for a third time. He had only visited them twice by the time he wrote this letter, but he plans to visit them again. This visit would happen sometime after the Corinthians received this letter. We do know that Paul visited the Corinthians again because he wrote a later letter, Romans, from the city of Corinth.

Important Figures of Speech in this Chapter

Rhetorical questions

In 12:13, 15, 17–19, Paul uses rhetorical questions. Paul asks these questions to include the Corinthians in what he is arguing, not because he is looking for information. If your language does not use questions in this way, you could include answers to the questions, or you could express them as statements or exclamations. See the notes on these verses for translation options. (See: figs-rquestion)

Irony

Multiple times in this chapter, Paul uses irony. In other words, he speaks words that he does not agree with in order to make a point. In 12:11, he uses irony when he refers to the false teachers as “super-apostles.” He uses irony again in 12:13, where he exclaims, “Forgive me this injustice!” He uses irony again in 12:16, where he says, “I myself did not burden you, but, being crafty, I caught you by deceit.” In each of these verses, he does not actually agree with these words. Rather, he speaks from the perspective of the Corinthians or his opponents. He does this to show that these perspectives are wrong. See the notes on each of these verses for translation options. (See: figs-irony)

Other Possible Translation Difficulties in this Chapter

Paul uses the third person to speak about himself

In 12:2–5, Paul speaks about a person whom he knows. This person ascended into heaven and heard amazing things. However, in 12:6–7, Paul speaks as if these “revelations” were things he himself had experienced. Paul must have been speaking about himself when he referred to a person he knows. Most likely, he does this to avoid directly boasting about himself (See: 12:5–6). He would rather boast about how Christ gives him power when he is weak. If possible, preserve how Paul speaks about himself in the third person. See the notes on these verses for translation options. (See: figs-123person)