2 Corinthians 12:7

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

even because of the extraordinary character of the revelations. Therefore, so that I would not become arrogant, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to trouble me– so that I would not become arrogant.

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

  • 1 Cor 5:5 : 5 hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.
  • Dan 5:20 : 20 And when his mind became arrogant and his spirit filled with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne and his honor was removed from him.
  • Num 33:55 : 55 But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land before you, then those whom you allow to remain will be irritants in your eyes and thorns in your side, and will cause you trouble in the land where you will be living.
  • Judg 2:3 : 3 At that time I also warned you,‘If you disobey, I will not drive out the Canaanites before you. They will ensnare you and their gods will lure you away.’”
  • 2 Chr 26:16 : 16 But once he became powerful, his pride destroyed him. He disobeyed the LORD his God. He entered the LORD’s temple to offer incense on the incense altar.
  • 2 Chr 32:25-26 : 25 But Hezekiah was ungrateful; he had a proud attitude, provoking God to be angry at him, as well as Judah and Jerusalem. 26 But then Hezekiah and the residents of Jerusalem humbled themselves and abandoned their pride, and the LORD was not angry with them for the rest of Hezekiah’s reign.
  • 2 Chr 32:31 : 31 So when the envoys arrived from the Babylonian officials to visit him and inquire about the sign that occurred in the land, God left him alone to test him, in order to know his true motives.
  • Job 2:7 : 7 Job’s Integrity in Suffering So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD, and he afflicted Job with a malignant ulcer from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.
  • Ezek 28:24 : 24 “‘No longer will Israel suffer from the sharp briers or painful thorns of all who surround and scorn them. Then they will know that I am the Sovereign LORD.
  • Deut 8:14 : 14 be sure you do not feel self-important and forget the LORD your God who brought you from the land of Egypt, the place of slavery,
  • Deut 17:20 : 20 Then he will not exalt himself above his fellow citizens or turn from the commandments to the right or left, and he and his descendants will enjoy many years ruling over his kingdom in Israel.
  • Gal 4:13 : 13 Personal Appeal of Paul But you know it was because of a physical illness that I first proclaimed the gospel to you,
  • 1 Tim 3:6 : 6 He must not be a recent convert or he may become arrogant and fall into the punishment that the devil will exact.
  • 2 Cor 10:5 : 5 and every arrogant obstacle that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to make it obey Christ.
  • 2 Cor 11:20 : 20 For you put up with it if someone makes slaves of you, if someone exploits you, if someone takes advantage of you, if someone behaves arrogantly toward you, if someone strikes you in the face.
  • Matt 26:67 : 67 Then they spat in his face and struck him with their fists. And some slapped him,
  • Luke 13:16 : 16 Then shouldn’t this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be released from this imprisonment on the Sabbath day?”
  • 1 Cor 4:11 : 11 To the present hour we are hungry and thirsty, poorly clothed, brutally treated, and without a roof over our heads.
  • Gen 32:25 : 25 When the man saw that he could not defeat Jacob, he struck the socket of his hip so the socket of Jacob’s hip was dislocated while he wrestled with him.
  • Gen 32:31 : 31 The sun rose over him as he crossed over Penuel, but he was limping because of his hip.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

  • 2 Cor 12:8-13
    6 verses
    87%

    8I asked the Lord three times about this, that it would depart from me.

    9But he said to me,“My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in me.

    10Therefore I am content with weaknesses, with insults, with troubles, with persecutions and difficulties for the sake of Christ, for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.

    11The Signs of an Apostle I have become a fool. You yourselves forced me to do it, for I should have been commended by you. For I lack nothing in comparison to those“super-apostles,” even though I am nothing.

    12Indeed, the signs of an apostle were performed among you with great perseverance by signs and wonders and powerful deeds.

    13For how were you treated worse than the other churches, except that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this injustice!

  • 2 Cor 12:1-6
    6 verses
    80%

    1Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh It is necessary to go on boasting. Though it is not profitable, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord.

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

    3And I know that this man(whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows)

    4was caught up into paradise and heard things too sacred to be put into words, things that a person is not permitted to speak.

    5On behalf of such an individual I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except about my weaknesses.

    6For 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,

  • 2 Cor 11:28-30
    3 verses
    74%

    28Apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxious concern for all the churches.

    29Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not burn with indignation?

    30If I must boast, I will boast about the things that show my weakness.

  • 2 Cor 10:8-9
    2 verses
    70%

    8For if I boast somewhat more about our authority that the Lord gave us for building you up and not for tearing you down, I will not be ashamed of doing so.

    9I do not want to seem as though I am trying to terrify you with my letters,

  • 1 Cor 9:27
    70%

    27Instead I subdue my body and make it my slave, so that after preaching to others I myself will not be disqualified.

  • 2 Cor 4:7
    70%

    7An Eternal Weight of Glory But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that the extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.

  • 2 Cor 11:16-17
    2 verses
    70%

    16Paul’s Sufferings for Christ I say again, let no one think that I am a fool. But if you do, then at least accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little.

    17What I am saying with this boastful confidence I do not say the way the Lord would. Instead it is, as it were, foolishness.

  • 2 Cor 11:5
    70%

    5For I consider myself not at all inferior to those“super-apostles.”

  • 2 Cor 13:10
    70%

    10Because of this I am writing these things while absent, so that when I arrive I may not have to deal harshly with you by using my authority– the Lord gave it to me for building up, not for tearing down!

  • Gal 4:13-14
    2 verses
    69%

    13Personal Appeal of Paul But you know it was because of a physical illness that I first proclaimed the gospel to you,

    14and though my physical condition put you to the test, you did not despise or reject me. Instead, you welcomed me as though I were an angel of God, as though I were Christ Jesus himself!

  • 2 Cor 2:11-12
    2 verses
    69%

    11so that we may not be exploited by Satan(for we are not ignorant of his schemes).

    12Now when I arrived in Troas to proclaim the gospel of Christ, even though the Lord had opened a door of opportunity for me,

  • 2 Tim 3:11
    69%

    11as well as the persecutions and sufferings that happened to me in Antioch, in Iconium, and in Lystra. I endured these persecutions and the Lord delivered me from them all.

  • 2 Cor 7:4
    69%

    4A Letter That Caused Sadness I have great confidence in you; I take great pride on your behalf. I am filled with encouragement; I am overflowing with joy in the midst of all our suffering.

  • 2 Cor 10:1-2
    2 verses
    69%

    1Paul’s Authority from the Lord Now I, Paul, appeal to you personally by the meekness and gentleness of Christ(I who am meek when present among you, but am full of courage toward you when away!)–

    2now I ask that when I am present I may not have to be bold with the confidence that(I expect) I will dare to use against some who consider us to be behaving according to human standards.

  • Eph 3:8
    69%

    8To me– less than the least of all the saints– this grace was given, to proclaim to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ

  • 2 Cor 11:7
    69%

    7Or did I commit a sin by humbling myself so that you could be exalted, because I proclaimed the gospel of God to you free of charge?

  • Eph 3:13
    69%

    13For this reason I ask you not to lose heart because of what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.

  • 1 Cor 15:9-10
    2 verses
    69%

    9For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

    10But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me has not been in vain. In fact, I worked harder than all of them– yet not I, but the grace of God with me.

  • 1 Cor 9:15
    69%

    15But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing these things so that something will be done for me. In fact, it would be better for me to die than– no one will deprive me of my reason for boasting!

  • 1 Cor 5:5
    69%

    5hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.

  • 1 Cor 4:6
    69%

    6I have applied these things to myself and Apollos because of you, brothers and sisters, so that through us you may learn“not to go beyond what is written,” so that none of you will be puffed up in favor of the one against the other.

  • 2 Cor 1:8
    69%

    8For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, regarding the affliction that happened to us in the province of Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of living.

  • 2 Cor 11:10
    68%

    10As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of Achaia.

  • 2 Cor 2:6
    68%

    6This punishment on such an individual by the majority is enough for him,

  • 1 Thess 3:5
    68%

    5So when I could bear it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter somehow tempted you and our toil had proven useless.

  • 2 Cor 11:1
    68%

    1Paul and His Opponents I wish that you would be patient with me in a little foolishness, but indeed you are being patient with me!

  • 1 Tim 1:16
    68%

    16But here is why I was treated with mercy: so that in me as the worst, Christ Jesus could demonstrate his utmost patience, as an example for those who are going to believe in him for eternal life.

  • Phil 1:30
    68%

    30since you are encountering the same conflict that you saw me face and now hear that I am facing.

  • Gal 1:12
    67%

    12For I did not receive it or learn it from any human source; instead I received it by a revelation of Jesus Christ.

  • Rom 15:17
    67%

    17So I boast in Christ Jesus about the things that pertain to God.

  • 2 Cor 7:12
    67%

    12So then, even though I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who did wrong, or on account of the one who was wronged, but to reveal to you your eagerness on our behalf before God.

  • 1 Cor 10:12
    67%

    12So let the one who thinks he is standing be careful that he does not fall.