2 Corinthians 12:7

2 Corinthians 12:7, in plain English

He's especially guarding against letting people credit him with more than he deserves because of those incredible revelations he experienced.

Why it's here

Even one transcendent spiritual experience could define someone's entire ministry if they let it. Paul's saying: 'I'm not going to let that one encounter fourteen years ago become my identity.' He's learned that yesterday's spiritual high can become today's spiritual trap if you're not careful.

Who's speaking

Paul

Where it sits in the story

This continues the biblical warning against spiritual pride that appears throughout the epistles. Every apostle faced the temptation to let divine encounters go to their head, and Paul's explicitly refusing to do that.

The scholarly reading

The reason for Paul's restraint is the extraordinary nature of the revelations themselves—their very magnitude demands silence rather than exploitation.

Language and setting

The Greek construction here is awkward, which scholars note may reflect the difficulty of expressing the inexpressible. The phrase 'surpassingly great revelations' (hyperbolē tōn apokalypseōn) uses the word hyperbolē—literally 'throwing beyond'—to denote revelations that exceed ordinary categories. There is an implicit theological principle: the greater the divine gift, the less it should become property of the recipient's ego. This stands against the economic logic of honor and shame where one maximizes return on investment of status.

Voice

Paul, explaining his rationale for restraint.

Significance

This reflects the principle found in Job's silence before the divine theophany (Job 40:3-5) and anticipates the apophatic theology developed by figures like Gregory of Nyssa and later the Cloud of Unknowing tradition—the conviction that encountering God renders human speech inadequate.

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.

8Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.

9But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me.

Read all of 2 Corinthians 12 — Paul begs God three times to remove his suffering. God's answer redefines strength: My grace is sufficient. My power is made perfect in weakness.