2 Corinthians 12:3
in 2 Corinthians 12And I know that this man—whether in the body or out of it I do not know, but God knows—
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And I know such a man (whether in the body, or apart from the body, I know not; God knoweth),
KJV
And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)
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This verse in 2 Corinthians 12
Commentary
12 notes on this verseBut since he (Paul) has described that assumption of himself up to the third heaven as something great and pre-eminent, it cannot be that these men ascend above the seventh heaven, for they are certainly not superior to the apostle. If they do maintain that they are more excellent than he, let them prove themselves so by their works, for they have never pretended to anything like [what he describes as occurring to himself].
This site's exposition
I know a man in Christ
on 2 Corinthians 12:2-4
I know a man in Christ is Paul's own testimony told with reserve, since only he fits the argument about his thorn. The man was caught up to the third heaven, harpazo, a seizing he did not choose.
This site's exposition
whether in the body or out of it I do not know
Paul repeats the clause of verse 2 on purpose. John Gill and Albert Barnes read the repetition as a solemn affirmation made more emphatic.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
the rapture of the Apostle Paul even into the third heaven, that is, to a third of the distance of the height of heaven from the earth—namely, as far as the firmament; then his rapture into Paradise where he was privileged to be the hearer …
He therefore sets forth from these things for us two causes [of the visions], one pointing to labour, and the other to reward. For what does he say? I know a man in Christ fourteen years ago (whether in the body I know not, or …
Lest therefore you should be led into error when you hear that the blessed Paul had been caught up into the third heaven, I must point out that there are not three or more heavens, and that he neither means to say this, nor contradicts …
Great indeed was this revelation. But this was not the only one: there were many others besides, but he mentions one out of many. For that there were many, hear what he says: "Lest I should be exalted overmuch through the exceeding greatness of the revelations." 'And yet,' a man may say, 'if he wished to conceal them, he ought not to have given any intimation whatever or said any thing of the sort; but if he wished to speak of them, to speak plainly.' Wherefore then is it that he neither spoke plainly nor kept silence? To show by this also that he resorts to the thing unwillingly. And therefore also he has stated the time, "fourteen years." For he does not mention it without an object, but to show that he who had refrained for so long a time would not now have spoken out, except the necessity for doing so had been great. But he would have still kept silence, had he not seen the brethren perishing. Now if Paul from the very beginning was such an one as to be counted worthy of such a revelation, when as yet he had not wrought such good works; consider what he must have grown to in fourteen years. And observe how even in this very matter he shows modesty, by his saying some things, but confessing that of others he is ignorant. For that he was caught up indeed, he declared, but whether "in the body" or "out of the body" he says he does not know. And yet it would have been quite enough, if he had told of his being caught up and had been silent [about the other]; but as it is, in his modesty he adds this also. What then? Was it the mind that was caught up and the soul, whilst the body remained dead? or was the body caught up? It is impossible to tell. For if Paul who was caught up and whom things unspeakable, so many and so great, had befallen was in ignorance, much more we. […]
Paul says that he was caught up twice—first into the third heaven and then into paradise, which is where the Lord said that the thief on the cross would be with him..
4 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
Having spoken of the first rapture, the Apostle speaks of a second rapture. First, he mentions the rapture; secondly, its excellence (v. 4b). It should be noted that a Gloss says that this rapture was distinct from the first, and if one considers the matter …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And I knew such a man,.... The same man, namely himself, is here designed, and the same rapture spoken of, and the condition he was in expressed in the same words: which repetition is made for the more strong affirmation of what he delivered, and to signify the marvellousness of this vision, and how surprising and unaccountable it was.
Then he addresses himself to the Corinthians, blaming them for what was faulty among them, and giving a large account of his behaviour and kind intentions towards them,
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And I knew such a man - It is not uncommon to repeat a solemn affirmation in order that it may be made more emphatic. This is done here. Paul repeats the idea, that he was intimately acquainted with such a man, and that he did not know whether he was in the body or out of the body. All that was known to God.
The words behind it
17 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| οἶδα | oida | I know | ||
| τὸν | ton | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| τοιοῦτον | toiouton | such | G5108 → | 56 times |
| ἄνθρωπον, | anthropon | a man — | G444 → | 549 times |
| εἴτε | eite | whether | G1535 → | 65 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| σώματι | somati | [the] body | G4983 → | 142 times |
| εἴτε | eite | or | G1535 → | 65 times |
| χωρὶς | choris | out of | G5565 → | |
| τοῦ | tou | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| σώματος, | somatos | body, | G4983 → | 142 times |
| οὐκ | ouk | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| οἶδα, | oida | I know, | ||
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεὸς | theos | God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| οἶδεν, | oiden | knows — |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
οἶδαI know
oida
τὸν<the>
tonG3588 →19766 times
τοιοῦτονsuch
toioutonG5108 →56 times
ἄνθρωπον,a man —
anthroponG444 →549 times
εἴτεwhether
eiteG1535 →65 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
σώματι[the] body
somatiG4983 →142 times
εἴτεor
eiteG1535 →65 times
χωρὶςout of
chorisG5565 →
τοῦthe
touG3588 →19766 times
σώματος,body,
somatosG4983 →142 times
οὐκnot
oukG3756 →1664 times
οἶδα,I know,
oida
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
θεὸςGod
theosG2316 →1312 times
οἶδεν,knows —
oiden
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 2 Corinthians

This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES; Charles Hodge, An Exposition of the Second Epistle to the Corinthians; Cosmas Indicopleustes, The Christian Topography, Book 3; Cosmas Indicopleustes, The Christian Topography, Book 9; Cosmas Indicopleustes, The Christian Topography, Book 7; Irenaeus, Against Heresies Book II; John Chrysostom, Homilies on Second Corinthians; John Chrysostom, Homily 26 on 2 Corinthians; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 2 Corinthians.
