Cattolica Bibbia
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2 Corinthians, 12

1. I am boasting because I have to. Not that it does any good, but I will move on to visions and revelations from the Lord.

1. I must boast; there is nothing to be gained by it, but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord.

2. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago -- still in the body? I do not know; or out of the body? I do not know: God knows -- was caught up right into the third heaven.

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

3. And I know that this man -- still in the body? or outside the body? I do not know, God knows-

3. And I know that this man was caught up into Paradise -- whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows --

4. was caught up into Paradise and heard words said that cannot and may not be spoken by any human being.

4. and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter.

5. On behalf of someone like that I am willing to boast, but I am not going to boast on my own behalf except of my weaknesses;

5. On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses.

6. and then, if I do choose to boast I shall not be talking like a fool because I shall be speaking the truth. But I will not go on in case anybody should rate me higher than he sees and hears me to be, because of the exceptional greatness of the revelations.

6. Though if I wish to boast, I shall not be a fool, for I shall be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me.

7. Wherefore, so that I should not get above myself, I was given a thorn in the flesh, a messenger from Satan to batter me and prevent me from getting above myself.

7. And to keep me from being too elated by the abundance of revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me, to keep me from being too elated.

8. About this, I have three times pleaded with the Lord that it might leave me;

8. Three times I besought the Lord about this, that it should leave me;

9. but he has answered me, 'My grace is enough for you: for power is at full stretch in weakness.' It is, then, about my weaknesses that I am happiest of all to boast, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me;

9. but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

10. and that is why I am glad of weaknesses, insults, constraints, persecutions and distress for Christ's sake. For it is when I am weak that I am strong.

10. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

11. I have turned into a fool, but you forced me to it. It is you that should have been commending me; those super-apostles had no advantage over me, even if I am nothing at all.

11. I have been a fool! You forced me to it, for I ought to have been commended by you. For I was not at all inferior to these superlative apostles, even though I am nothing.

12. All the marks characteristic of a true apostle have been at work among you: complete perseverance, signs, marvels, demonstrations of power.

12. The signs of a true apostle were performed among you in all patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works.

13. Is there any way in which you have been given less than the rest of the churches, except that I did not make myself a burden to you? Forgive me for this unfairness!

13. For in what were you less favored than the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong!

14. Here I am, ready to come to you for the third time and I am not going to be a burden on you: it is not your possessions that I want, but yourselves. Children are not expected to save up for their parents, but parents for their children,

14. Here for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be a burden, for I seek not what is yours but you; for children ought not to lay up for their parents, but parents for their children.

15. and I am more than glad to spend what I have and to be spent for the sake of your souls. Is it because I love you so much more, that I am loved the less?

15. I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you the more, am I to be loved the less?

16. All right, then; I did not make myself a burden to you, but, trickster that I am, I caught you by trickery.

16. But granting that I myself did not burden you, I was crafty, you say, and got the better of you by guile.

17. Have I taken advantage of you through any of the people I have sent to you?

17. Did I take advantage of you through any of those whom I sent to you?

18. Titus came at my urging, and I sent his companion with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Can you deny that he and I were following the guidance of the same Spirit and were on the same tracks?

18. I urged Titus to go, and sent the brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not act in the same spirit? Did we not take the same steps?

19. All this time you have been thinking that we have been pleading our own cause before you; no, we have been speaking in Christ and in the presence of God -- and all, dear friends, to build you up.

19. Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves before you? It is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ, and all for your upbuilding, beloved.

20. I am afraid that in one way or another, when I come, I may find you different from what I should like you to be, and you may find me what you would not like me to be; so that in one way or the other there will be rivalry, jealousy, bad temper, quarrels, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorders;

20. For I fear that perhaps I may come and find you not what I wish, and that you may find me not what you wish; that perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder.

21. and when I come again, my God may humiliate me in front of you and I shall be grieved by all those who sinned in the past and have still not repented of the impurities and sexual immorality and debauchery that they have committed.

21. I fear that when I come again my God may humble me before you, and I may have to mourn over many of those who sinned before and have not repented of the impurity, immorality, and licentiousness which they have practiced.



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12:7-10 - Paolo parla della "spina nella carne", dimostrando che la debolezza umana è un canale per la potenza di Dio. Dio usa i nostri limiti per dimostrare la Sua grazia e la Sua forza. La dipendenza da Dio è la vera forza del cristiano (vedi anche 2 Corinzi 4:7 e Filippesi 4:13).

12:11-13 - Paolo difende la sua autorità apostolica, che non dipende da segni o miracoli, ma dalla fedele predicazione del Vangelo. L'autorità nel ministero cristiano deriva dalla verità di Cristo, non da manifestazioni umane (vedi anche 1 Corinzi 9:1-2 e Galati 1:1).

12:14-15 - Paolo esorta i Corinzi ad accogliere la loro missione non come un peso, ma come testimonianza dell'amore di Cristo. Il cristiano deve essere disposto a donare se stesso per il bene degli altri (vedi anche 2 Corinzi 9:12 e Giovanni 15:13).

Versi relativi a 2 Corinthians, 12:

2 Corinzi capitolo 12 rivela visioni celesti e debolezza umana. In che modo la grazia di Dio viene resa perfetta nella debolezza? Questo testo profondo descrive l'esperienza mistica di Paolo e la sua "spina nella carne". Il capitolo affronta temi come le rivelazioni divine, l'umiltà apostolica e la potenza di Cristo manifestata nella fragilità. Paolo esprime anche il suo amore sacrificale per la chiesa. Rifletti con noi su cinque passaggi biblici che si riferiscono ai temi paradossali di questo capitolo rivelatore.

Galati 2:1-2: "Quattordici anni dopo salii di nuovo a Gerusalemme, ora con Barnaba, portando con me anche Tito. Sono andato lì a causa di una rivelazione e ho spiegato davanti a loro il vangelo che predico tra i gentili. Ma lo facevo soprattutto con quelli che mi sembravano più influenti, per essere sicuro di non correre o di non aver corso invano." - Questo racconto di Paolo di una rivelazione che lo condusse a Gerusalemme si riferisce alle "visioni e rivelazioni" menzionate in 2 Corinzi 12:1-6.

Romani 8:18: "Ritengo che le nostre attuali sofferenze non possano essere paragonate alla gloria che si rivelerà in noi." - Questo versetto riflette l'atteggiamento di Paolo in 2 Corinzi 12:9-10, dove si gloria delle sue debolezze per amore di Cristo.

Atti 14:19-20: "Poi vennero alcuni ebrei da Antiochia e Iconio e convinsero la folla. Lapidarono Paolo e lo trascinarono fuori della città, credendolo morto. Ma quando i discepoli lo circondarono, si alzò e ritornò in città. Il giorno dopo lui e Barnabas partirono per Derbe." - Questo incidente potrebbe essere una delle "esperienze di pre-morte" a cui allude Paolo in 2 Corinzi 12:1-6.

Filippesi 4:17: "Non che io cerchi offerte, ma cosa possa essere accreditato sul tuo conto." - Questo versetto riecheggia il sentimento di Paolo in 2 Corinzi 12:14, dove afferma di non cercare i beni dei Corinzi, ma i propri.

1 Corinzi 2:3: "Ed ero tra voi con debolezza, timore e molto tremore." - Questa ammissione di debolezza da parte di Paolo a Corinto è in linea con la sua discussione sulla debolezza e sulla forza in 2 Corinzi 12:9-10.

FAQ:

Cosa dice Paolo della "spina nella carne"?

Paolo racconta la sua esperienza con una "spina nella carne", una sofferenza che chiese a Dio di rimuovere, ma Dio gli disse: "Ti basta la mia grazia". (2 Corinzi 12:7-9)

Perché Paolo si vanta delle sue debolezze?

Paolo si vanta delle sue debolezze perché è in esse che si manifesta la potenza di Cristo. Riconosce che nella sua debolezza la forza divina è più evidente. (2 Corinzi 12:9)

In che modo Paolo difende la sua autorità apostolica in 2 Corinzi 12?

Paolo riafferma la sua autorità apostolica ricordando ai Corinzi le prove e i segni miracolosi che accompagnarono il suo ministero, dimostrando che egli è un vero apostolo di Cristo. (2 Corinzi 12:12)

Cosa dice Paolo riguardo alla raccolta di offerte per i santi?

Paolo esorta i Corinzi a completare la raccolta delle offerte, dimostrando la loro generosità nell'aiutare i cristiani bisognosi di Gerusalemme. (2 Corinzi 12:14-15)

In che modo Paolo dimostra la sua preoccupazione per i Corinzi?

Paolo esprime la sua preoccupazione per i Corinzi, sperando che non ricadano negli errori del passato e che si pentano dei loro peccati, dimostrando così la sua paternità spirituale. (2 Corinzi 12:19-21)


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