2 Corinthians 12:5
in 2 Corinthians 12I will boast about such a man, but I will not boast about myself, except in my weaknesses.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
On behalf of such a one will I glory: but on mine own behalf I will not glory, save in my weaknesses.
KJV
Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.
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This verse in 2 Corinthians 12
Commentary
11 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Of such an one will I glory - Of such a man it would be right to boast. It would be admitted that it is right to exult in such a man, and to esteem him to be uniquely favored by God. I will boast of him as having received special honor from the Lord.
This site's exposition
I will boast about such a man
on 2 Corinthians 12:5-6
Paul splits himself in two, the man caught up and the man writing. He keeps the vision apart from his apostolic measure: no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"On behalf of such an one will I glory?" wherefore? For if another were caught up, wherefore dost thou glory? Whence it is evident that he said these things of himself. And if he added, "but of myself I will not glory," he says nothing else than this, that, 'when there is no necessity, I will say nothing of that kind fruitlessly and at random;' or else he is again throwing obscurity over what he had said, as best he might. For that the whole discourse was about himself, what follows also clearly shows.
Now, when you make merry with those minuter animals, which their glorious Maker has purposely endued with a profusion of instincts and resources, -thereby teaching us that greatness has its proofs in lowliness, just as (according to the apostle)there is power even in infirmity -imitate, if you can, the cells of the bee, the hills of the ant, the webs of the spider, and the threads of the silkworm; endure, too, if you know how, those very creatures which infest your couch and house, the poisonous ejections of the blister-beetle, the spikes of the fly, and the gnat's Sheath and sting.
The Medieval Church2 voices
Then when he says, On behalf of this man I will boast, he shows how he reacted to this glory. In regard to this he does three things. First, he shows that he did not glory in such revelations; secondly, he suggests that he has …
Notice his humility: he recounts this as if about someone else, for he says, "of such a one I will boast." But if it was another who was caught up, then why do you boast? So then, it is evident that he says this about …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Of such an one I will - I might, glory; but I will not glory of myself - As considered in myself.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:80%@v5-6
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Of such an one will I glory,....
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 Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
of myself--concerning myself. Self is put in the background, except in respect to his infirmities. His glorying in his other self, to which the revelations were vouchsafed, was not in order to give glory to his fleshly self, but to bring out in contrast the "infirmities" of the latter, that Christ might have all the glory.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
Of such a one will I glory - Through modesty he does not mention himself, though the account can be understood of no other person; for, did he mean any other, the whole account would be completely irrelevant.
The words behind it
14 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ὑπὲρ | huper | Concerning | G5228 → | 155 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| τοιούτου | toioutou | such a man | G5108 → | 56 times |
| καυχήσομαι, | kauchesomai | I will boast, | G2744 → | 37 times |
| ὑπὲρ | huper | concerning | G5228 → | 155 times |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ἐμαυτοῦ | emautou | myself | G1473 → | 839 times |
| οὐ | ou | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| καυχήσομαι | kauchesomai | I will boast | G2744 → | 37 times |
| εἰ | ei | only | G1487 → | 508 times |
| μὴ | me | except | G3361 → | 1066 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| ταῖς | tais | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀσθενείαις | astheneiais | weaknesses | G769 → | 24 times |
ὑπὲρConcerning
huperG5228 →155 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
τοιούτουsuch a man
toioutouG5108 →56 times
καυχήσομαι,I will boast,
kauchesomaiG2744 →37 times
ὑπὲρconcerning
huperG5228 →155 times
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
ἐμαυτοῦmyself
emautouG1473 →839 times
οὐnot
ouG3756 →1664 times
καυχήσομαιI will boast
kauchesomaiG2744 →37 times
εἰonly
eiG1487 →508 times
μὴexcept
meG3361 →1066 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
ταῖςthe
taisG3588 →19766 times
ἀσθενείαιςweaknesses
astheneiaisG769 →24 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Corinthians 2:3I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling.
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 13:4
For He was indeed crucified in weakness, yet He lives by God’s power. And though we are weak in Him, yet by God’s power we will live with Him to serve you.
- 1 Corinthians 4:10–13
We are fools for Christ, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honored, but we are dishonored.
- 2 Corinthians 12:5–10
I will boast about such a man, but I will not boast about myself, except in my weaknesses.
- 2 Corinthians 13:4
Through
2 Corinthians 11:30If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 12:5–11
I will boast about such a man, but I will not boast about myself, except in my weaknesses.
- 1 Corinthians 2:3
I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling.
- Jeremiah 9:23–24
This is what the LORD says: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength, nor the wealthy man in his riches.
- Proverbs 25:27
It is not good to eat too much honey or to search out one’s own glory.
- 2 Corinthians 12:1
I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to gain, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord.
- 2 Corinthians 12:5–11
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 2 Corinthians
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); James Denney, The Second Epistle to the Corinthians; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily 26 on 2 Corinthians; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Tertullian, Against Marcion Book I; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 2 Corinthians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 2 Corinthians.