2 Corinthians 12:2 BSB

2 Corinthians 12:2

I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of it I do not know, but God knows.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

I know a man in Christ, fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I know not; or whether out of the body, I know not; God knoweth), such a one caught up even to the third heaven.

KJV

I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.

⋯

Commentary

4 voices

Irenaeus

Against Heresies Book II (202)

For that there are spiritual creatures in the heavens, all the Scriptures loudly proclaim; and Paul expressly testifies that there are spiritual things when he declares that he was caught up into the third heaven, and again, that he was carried away to paradise, and heard unspeakable words which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

The record, by era

The Reformation1 voice

John Calvin

1509–1564

Commentaries (1554)

I knew a man in Christ As he was desirous to restrain himself within bounds, he merely singles out one instance, and that, too, he handles in such a way as to show, that it is not from inclination that he brings it forward; for why does he speak in the person of another rather than in his own?

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

It was certainly a very extraordinary honour done him: in some sense he was caught up into the third heaven, the heaven of the blessed, above the aërial heaven, in which the fowls fly, above the starry heaven, which is adorned with those glorious orbs: it was into the third heaven, where God most eminently manifests his glory.

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

But he purposely thus distinguishes between the rapt and glorified person of 2Co 12:2, 4, and himself the infirmity-laden victim of the "thorn in the flesh" (2Co 12:7). Such glory belonged not to him, but the weakness did. Nay, he did not even know whether he was in or out of the body when the glory was put upon him, so far was the glory from being his [ALFORD].

Voices on this verse

loading…

Original language & word study

27 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
Οἶδα	Oida	I know
ἄνθρωπον	anthrōpon	a man	G444 →
ἐν	en	in	G1722 →
Χριστῷ	Christō	Christ	G5547 →
πρὸ	pro	ago	G4253 →
ἐτῶν	etōn	years	G2094 →
δεκατεσσάρων,	dekatessarōn	fourteen —	G1180 →
εἴτε	eite	whether	G1535 →
ἐν	en	in	G1722 →
σώματι	sōmati	[the] body	G4983 →
οὐκ	ouk	not	G3756 →
οἶδα,	oida	I know,
εἴτε	eite	or	G1535 →
ἐκτὸς	ektos	out of	G1622 →
τοῦ	tou	the	G3588 →
σώματος	sōmatos	body	G4983 →
οὐκ	ouk	not	G3756 →
οἶδα,	oida	I know,
ὁ	ho	<the>	G3588 →
θεὸς	theos	God	G2316 →
οἶδεν,	oiden	knows —
ἁρπαγέντα	harpagenta	having been caught up	G726 →
τὸν	ton	<the>	G3588 →
τοιοῦτον	toiouton	such a man	G5108 →
ἕως	he'ōs	until	G2193 →
τρίτου	tritou	[the] third	G5154 →
οὐρανοῦ.	ouranou	heaven.	G3772 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
1 Thessalonians 4:17
After that, we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord.
leads to
- 1 Corinthians 15:52
  in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
- Revelation 11:12
  And the witnesses heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Come up here.” And they went up to heaven in a cloud as their enemies watched them.
- John 14:3
  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and welcome you into My presence, so that you also may be where I am.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:15
  By the word of the Lord, we declare to you that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who have fallen asleep.
- Revelation 1:7
  Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him—even those who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. So shall it be! Amen.
Through
Revelation 4:2
At once I was in the Spirit, and I saw a throne standing in heaven, with someone seated on it.
leads to
- 1 Kings 22:19
  Micaiah continued, “Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by Him on His right and on His left.
- Revelation 1:10
  On the Lord’s day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet,
- Isaiah 6:1
  In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted; and the train of His robe filled the temple.

Featured studies on this passage

The Ecstasy of Saint Paul — Nicolas Poussin

On 2 Corinthians 12:2

Power Made Perfect in Weakness — 2 Corinthians 12:7–10

Open the study →

Walks through 2 Corinthians 12

2 Corinthians: the Study Guide

Open the study →

About 2 Corinthians

The Crown of Thorns — Gustave Doré (engraving, public domain)

2 Corinthians: the study guide →Read chapter 12 →The featured study →

Continue: 2 Corinthians 12 →

01Commentary

The record, by era

Voices on this verse

02Original language & word study

03The walk

Where the connections lead

04Related verses

05Featured studies on this passage

06About 2 Corinthians

The record, by era

Where the connections lead

Commentary

Original language & word study

The walk

Related verses

Featured studies on this passage

About 2 Corinthians