2 Corinthians 12:1 kjv
It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.
2 Corinthians 12:1 nkjv
It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord:
2 Corinthians 12:1 niv
I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord.
2 Corinthians 12:1 esv
I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord.
2 Corinthians 12:1 nlt
This boasting will do no good, but I must go on. I will reluctantly tell about visions and revelations from the Lord.
2 Corinthians 12 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Cor 12:1 | "It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord;" | Paul contrasts unprofitable boasting with divinely given revelations. |
| Prov 27:2 | "Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips." | Emphasizes the emptiness of self-praise. |
| Prov 25:27 | "To eat much honey is not good, nor is it for men to seek their own glory." | Directly links excessive self-glory to being not good. |
| Rom 12:3 | "For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought, but to think soberly, as God has distributed to each one a measure of faith." | Warns against excessive self-estimation. |
| Gal 6:3-4 | "For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another." | Highlights self-deception through pride. |
| 1 Cor 1:31 | "That, as it is written, ‘He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.’” | Directs all boasting to be in God. |
| Jer 9:23-24 | "Thus says the Lord: ‘Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches; But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,’ says the Lord." | Identifies true glory as being in knowing God and His attributes. |
| John 8:50 | "And He Himself does not seek His own glory; there is One who seeks and judges." | Points to Christ not seeking His own glory. |
| Phil 2:3 | "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem the others better than himself." | Advocates humility and esteeming others. |
| 1 Pet 5:5 | "Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’” | Connects humility with receiving God's grace and opposing pride. |
| Matt 6:1-4 | "Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have praise from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing," | Contrasts genuine good deeds with those done for human praise. |
| Luke 14:7-11 | "So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noticed how they chose the best places, saying to them, 'When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, lest there be a more distinguished guest than you invited by him; And he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher!’ Then you will have praise in the presence of those who sit at the table with you. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.'" | Illustrates the principle that exalting oneself leads to humiliation, while humbling leads to exaltation. |
| 2 Cor 10:8 | "For even if I boast somewhat more about the authority which the Lord has given us for…build-up, and not for your destruction," | Differentiates beneficial boasting (for building up) from self-aggrandizement. |
| 2 Cor 10:12 | "For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are not wise." | Exposes the folly of self-comparison and self-commendation. |
| Prov 20:6 | "Many a man will proclaim his own kindness, But who can find a faithful man?" | Highlights the unreliability of self-proclaimed virtues. |
| Ps 50:21 | "These things you have done, and I kept silent; You thought that I was altogether like you; But I will rebuke you, And set your sins in order before your eyes." | God rebukes those who wrongly assume His nature or silence. |
| Titus 3:2 | "To speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all people." | Promotes humility and gentle conduct. |
| 1 Tim 1:7 | "They desire to be teachers of the law, but they do not understand neither what they say, nor the things which they affirm." | Critiques those who lack understanding despite their claims. |
| Prov 3:7 | "Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil." | Admonishes against self-reliance in wisdom. |
| 1 Cor 4:5 | "Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God." | Points to God as the ultimate judge and source of praise. |
| John 5:31 | "If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true." | Jesus himself states that self-testimony is insufficient for validation. |
2 Corinthians 12 verses
2 Corinthians 12 1 Meaning
The apostle Paul asserts that boasting is not beneficial. He states that while it might be necessary or even tempting to boast, it yields no true advantage or profit. The core message is that relying on oneself for validation or glory is ultimately unproductive.
2 Corinthians 12 1 Context
In this section of 2 Corinthians, Paul is addressing issues raised by some who challenged his apostolic authority. He had previously visited Corinth, and his ministry was being undermined by divisive factions and false teachers. These opponents likely relied on their own qualifications, achievements, and perhaps outward displays to gain credibility, a practice Paul deemed "boasting." Paul is responding to their self-promoting tactics. By starting this argument with the admission that boasting is not beneficial, he is subtly setting himself apart from their methodology. He will proceed to describe his own extraordinary spiritual experiences not as grounds for personal glory, but as evidence of God’s power at work in and through him, in service of the Corinthian church, and ultimately for God’s glory. This context establishes that Paul's "boasting" is different in nature and intent from that of his detractors.
2 Corinthians 12 1 Word Analysis
- "It is": This indicates a statement of fact or a necessary truth.
- "doubtless": The Greek word is "οὐ συμφέρει" (ou sympherei).
- "οὐ" (ou): Means "not."
- "συμφέρει" (sympherei): From the verb "συμφέρω" (sympherō), meaning "to bring together," "to be profitable," "to be advantageous," "to be useful."
- Combined, it means "it is not profitable," "it is not beneficial," "it is not expedient." Paul is stating that such boasting does not lead to any real good or advantage.
- "for me": Refers directly to Paul as the subject, but it is presented as a universal principle applicable to all.
- "to boast": The Greek word is "καυχᾶσθαι" (kauchasthai), a present infinitive of the verb "καυχάομαι" (kauchaosmai). This verb means "to boast," "to glory," "to exult," "to brag." In this context, it refers to boasting about oneself, one's achievements, or one's spiritual experiences. Paul recognizes that this is a practice the Corinthians might expect him to engage in, or that his opponents are engaged in, but he asserts its ultimate lack of true benefit.
- "I will come": The Greek is "ἔρχομαι δέ" (erchomai de).
- "ἔρχομαι" (erchomai): "I come" or "I will come" (middle voice, present tense).
- "δέ" (de): A conjunction meaning "but," "and," or "now." It serves to transition to the next point. In this instance, it signals a contrast or a necessary consequence: although boasting is not profitable, he will proceed to describe visions and revelations.
- "to visions": The Greek is "ἐν ὀπτασίαις" (en optasiais).
- "ἐν" (en): A preposition meaning "in" or "by."
- "ὀπτασίαις" (optasiais): Dative plural of "ὄπτασις" (optasis), which means "a sight," "a vision," "a revelation." This refers to supernatural, divine appearances or visions.
- "and revelations": The Greek is "καὶ ἀποκαλύψεσι" (kai apokalyppesi).
- "καὶ" (kai): "and."
- "ἀποκαλύψεσι" (apokalyppesi): Dative plural of "ἀποκάλυψις" (apokalypsis), meaning "a revelation," "a making known," "an unveiling." This refers to the divine disclosure of truths previously hidden.
- "of the Lord": The Greek is "τοῦ Κυρίου" (tou Kyriou). This genitive case indicates possession or source, meaning "of the Lord Jesus Christ."
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast": This initial statement functions as a rhetorical concession. Paul acknowledges that to talk about himself, especially about great spiritual experiences, might seem profitable for establishing his authority in the eyes of some, or it might be what his rivals are doing. However, he immediately dismisses it as truly beneficial ("profitable"). This discredits self-praise as a legitimate basis for credibility.
- "I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord": This phrase marks a significant shift. "I will come to" signifies his intention to proceed with sharing these experiences. The repetition of "visions" and "revelations" emphasizes the extraordinary nature of these encounters, framing them as direct communications from God. The genitive "of the Lord" firmly roots these experiences in divine origin, not human merit. This is the evidence he will offer, but it will be presented within the framework of God’s grace and purpose, not his own pride.
2 Corinthians 12 1 Bonus Section
The Greek word "συμφέρει" (sympherei) carries a sense of contributing to a larger, common good or benefit. By saying boasting is "not profitable," Paul implies it doesn't contribute positively to the building up of the church or to the advancement of the gospel. It leads to division and pride, the opposite of what Christ’s ministry intends. His own "boasting" in the subsequent verses will be centered on his weaknesses and the power of Christ working through those weaknesses, a concept explained further in chapter 12, verses 9-10, where he famously says, "Most gladly therefore I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me... For when I am weak, then I am strong." This redefines what genuine Christian "boasting" or "glorying" entails – it is a testament to God’s power, not human achievement.
2 Corinthians 12 1 Commentary
Paul states that while he could boast about his numerous extraordinary experiences (visions and revelations granted by the Lord), such boasting is ultimately unhelpful and unproductive ("not profitable"). He then announces that he will indeed mention these experiences, but he carefully frames them as divine occurrences, not personal achievements. This strategic move distinguishes his intended sharing from the self-serving boasts of his detractors. True spiritual authority and understanding are not built on self-exaltation but on recognizing and humbly participating in God's gracious work. His "boasting" will be of God’s power in his weakness, not his own strength.