2 Corinthians 12:6
New International Version
Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say,

New Living Translation
If I wanted to boast, I would be no fool in doing so, because I would be telling the truth. But I won’t do it, because I don’t want anyone to give me credit beyond what they can see in my life or hear in my message,

English Standard Version
though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would 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.

Berean Standard Bible
Even if I wanted to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me,

Berean Literal Bible
For if I should desire to boast, I will not be a fool, for I will be speaking the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should credit to me more than what he sees in me, or anyone hears of me,

King James Bible
For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.

New King James Version
For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me.

New American Standard Bible
For if I do wish to boast I will not be foolish, for I will be speaking the truth; but I refrain from this, so that no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me.

NASB 1995
For if I do wish to boast I will not be foolish, for I will be speaking the truth; but I refrain from this, so that no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me.

NASB 1977
For if I do wish to boast I shall not be foolish, for I shall be speaking the truth; but I refrain from this, so that no one may credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me.

Legacy Standard Bible
For if I do wish to boast I will not be foolish, for I will be speaking the truth; but I refrain from this, so that no one will consider me beyond what he sees in me or hears from me.

Amplified Bible
If I wish to boast, I will not be foolish, because I will be speaking the truth. But I abstain [from it], so that no one will credit me with more than [is justified by what] he sees in me or hears from me.

Christian Standard Bible
For if I want to boast, I wouldn’t be a fool, because I would be telling the truth. But I will spare you, so that no one can credit me with something beyond what he sees in me or hears from me,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For if I want to boast, I will not be a fool, because I will be telling the truth. But I will spare you, so that no one can credit me with something beyond what he sees in me or hears from me,

American Standard Version
For if I should desire to glory, I shall not be foolish; for I shall speak the truth: but I forbear, lest any man should account of me above that which he seeth me to be, or heareth from me.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
For if I have wished to boast, I have not been misbehaving, for I speak the truth; but I abstain, lest a man think of me more than what he sees in me and hears from me.

Contemporary English Version
Yet even if I did brag, I would not be foolish. I would simply be speaking the truth. But I will try not to say too much. That way, none of you will think more highly of me than you should because of what you have seen me do and say.

Douay-Rheims Bible
For though I should have a mind to glory, I shall not be foolish; for I will say the truth. But I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth in me, or any thing he heareth from me.

English Revised Version
For if I should desire to glory, I shall not be foolish; for I shall speak the truth: but I forbear, lest any man should account of me above that which he seeth me to be, or heareth from me.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
If I ever wanted to brag, I wouldn't be a fool. Instead, I would be telling the truth. But I'm going to spare you so that no one may think more of me than what he sees or hears about me,

Good News Translation
If I wanted to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be telling the truth. But I will not boast, because I do not want any of you to have a higher opinion of me than you have as a result of what you have seen me do and heard me say.

International Standard Version
However, if I did want to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be telling the truth. But I am not going to do it in order to keep anyone from thinking more of me than what he sees and hears about me.

Literal Standard Version
for if I may wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I will say truth; but I refrain, lest in regard to me anyone may think anything above what he sees me, or hears anything of me;

Majority Standard Bible
Even if I wanted to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me,

New American Bible
Although if I should wish to boast, I would not be foolish, for I would be telling the truth. But I refrain, so that no one may think more of me than what he sees in me or hears from me

NET Bible
For even if I wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I would be telling the truth, but I refrain from this so that no one may regard me beyond what he sees in me or what he hears from me,

New Revised Standard Version
But if I wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I will be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think better of me than what is seen in me or heard from me,

New Heart English Bible
For if I would desire to boast, I will not be foolish; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, so that no one may think more of me than that which he sees in me, or hears from me.

Webster's Bible Translation
For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or what he heareth from me.

Weymouth New Testament
If however I should choose to boast, I should not be a fool for so doing, for I should be speaking the truth. But I forbear, lest any one should be led to estimate me more highly than what his own eyes attest, or more highly than what he hears from my lips.

World English Bible
For if I would desire to boast, I will not be foolish; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, so that no man may think more of me than that which he sees in me or hears from me.

Young's Literal Translation
for if I may wish to boast, I shall not be a fool, for truth I will say; but I forebear, lest any one in regard to me may think anything above what he doth see me, or doth hear anything of me;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Paul's Thorn and God's Grace
5I will boast about such a man, but I will not boast about myself, except in my weaknesses. 6Even if I wanted to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me, 7or because of these surpassingly great revelations. So to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.…

Cross References
2 Corinthians 5:13
If we are out of our mind, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you.

2 Corinthians 7:14
Indeed, I was not embarrassed by anything I had boasted to him about you. But just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting to Titus has proved to be true as well.

2 Corinthians 11:16
I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool. But if you do, then receive me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little.

2 Corinthians 12:11
I have become a fool, but you drove me to it. In fact, you should have commended me, since I am in no way inferior to those "super-apostles," even though I am nothing.


Treasury of Scripture

For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he sees me to be, or that he hears of me.

I would.

2 Corinthians 10:8
For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed:

2 Corinthians 11:16
I say again, Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little.

1 Corinthians 3:5,9,10
Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? …

I will.

2 Corinthians 1:18
But as God is true, our word toward you was not yea and nay.

2 Corinthians 11:31
The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.

Job 24:25
And if it be not so now, who will make me a liar, and make my speech nothing worth?

above that.

2 Corinthians 12:7
And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

2 Corinthians 10:9,10
That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters…

Jump to Previous
Account Boast Choose Desire Estimate Eyes Fear Fool Foolish Forbear Glory Heareth Hears Highly However Refrain Speak Speaking Think True. Truth Word
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Account Boast Choose Desire Estimate Eyes Fear Fool Foolish Forbear Glory Heareth Hears Highly However Refrain Speak Speaking Think True. Truth Word
2 Corinthians 12
1. For commending of his apostleship, though he might glory of his wonderful revelations,
9. yet he rather chooses to glory of his infirmities;
11. blaming the Corinthians for forcing him to this vain boasting.
14. He promises to come to them again; but yet altogether in the affection of a father;
20. although he fears he shall to his grief find many offenders, and public disorders there.














(6) For though I would desire to glory . . . He had said in the preceding verse that he will glory only in his infirmities. He is about to lay bare to their gaze the greatest of all those infirmities. "If I should boast of that," he says, "I shall not be acting as a madman does" (the thought of insanity is throughout dominant in the words "fool" and "folly"), "for I will confine myself to a simple statement of fact."

Verse 6. - I forbear; literally, I spare; i.e. I refrain from boasting. Should think of me; literally, that no man should estimate concerning me beyond what he sees me (to be), or hears at all from my own lips. If he were to tell them more of his revelations, he might encourage them to think more of him than he deserves or wishes.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Even
γὰρ (gar)
Conjunction
Strong's 1063: For. A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason.

if
ἐὰν (ean)
Conjunction
Strong's 1437: If. From ei and an; a conditional particle; in case that, provided, etc.

I wanted
θελήσω (thelēsō)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 2309: To will, wish, desire, be willing, intend, design.

to boast,
καυχήσασθαι (kauchēsasthai)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Middle
Strong's 2744: To boast; I glory (exult) proudly. From some base akin to that of aucheo and euchomai; to vaunt.

I would not be
ἔσομαι (esomai)
Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

a fool,
ἄφρων (aphrōn)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 878: Senseless, foolish, inconsiderate. Properly, mindless, i.e. Stupid, ignorant, egotistic, rash, or unbelieving.

because
γὰρ (gar)
Conjunction
Strong's 1063: For. A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason.

I would be speaking
ἐρῶ (erō)
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 2046: Probably a fuller form of rheo; an alternate for epo in certain tenses; to utter, i.e. Speak or say.

[the] truth.
ἀλήθειαν (alētheian)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 225: From alethes; truth.

But
δέ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

I refrain,
φείδομαι (pheidomai)
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 5339: To spare, abstain, forbear. Of uncertain affinity; to be chary of, i.e. to abstain or to treat leniently.

[so]
μή (mē)
Adverb
Strong's 3361: Not, lest. A primary particle of qualified negation; not, lest; also (whereas ou expects an affirmative one) whether.

[no one]
τις (tis)
Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5100: Any one, some one, a certain one or thing. An enclitic indefinite pronoun; some or any person or object.

will credit
λογίσηται (logisētai)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Middle - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 3049: To reckon, count, charge with; reason, decide, conclude; think, suppose.

me
ἐμὲ (eme)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

with more than
ὑπὲρ (hyper)
Preposition
Strong's 5228: Gen: in behalf of; acc: above.

he sees
βλέπει (blepei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 991: (primarily physical), I look, see, perceive, discern. A primary verb; to look at.

in me
με (me)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

or
(ē)
Conjunction
Strong's 2228: Or, than. A primary particle of distinction between two connected terms; disjunctive, or; comparative, than.

hears
ἀκούει (akouei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 191: To hear, listen, comprehend by hearing; pass: is heard, reported. A primary verb; to hear.

from
ἐξ (ex)
Preposition
Strong's 1537: From out, out from among, from, suggesting from the interior outwards. A primary preposition denoting origin, from, out.

me,
ἐμοῦ (emou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.


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NT Letters: 2 Corinthians 12:6 For if I would desire to boast (2 Cor. 2C iiC 2Cor ii cor iicor)
2 Corinthians 12:5
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