Dem Carry Am Go Paradise
As dem press am make e prove imself, Paul tell about one man wey dem carry go paradise, den e no gree use am take show. The thorn remain after e beg three times; the answer na grace, no be say dem comot am. E no want anything wey dem get, na only dem e want, and e fear say e go find sin wey dem never repent when e reach.
12 1I must continue to blow my own trumpet—e no get profit for am—but I go move go talk about visions and di tins wey Oga show me. 2Fourteen years wey don pass, one man wey dey inside Christ—I know am—dem carry am go up reach di third heaven. Wheda na inside body or outside, I no fit talk; na our Papa know. a a v2 For di ancient Jewish way of tinking, 'di third heaven' na di highest spiritual place—di place wey God dey right dia. 3And I know dis man—wheda na inside body or outside di body, I no know; na our Papa know. 4Dem carry am go inside paradise and e hear words wey mouth no fit talk, tins wey dem no gree make person talk.
5I go blow trumpet about dis man, but I no go blow trumpet about myself, except for my weakness dem. 6If I wan blow trumpet, I no go be fool, because na true tin I go dey talk. But I hold myself back, so dat nobody go rate me pass wetin e see for me or wetin e hear from me, 7and because dis revelation dem too much, na im make dem give me one torn for my body, one messenger of Satan wey go dey give me wahala—so dat I no go come dey do pride. Yes, so dat I no go dey do pride. 8Three times I beg Oga about dis tin, dat make e comot from me.
9But e tell me, “My grace don do you, because na inside weakness my power dey show pass.” So I go gladly blow trumpet plenty pass for my weakness dem, so dat di power of Christ go rest for me.
10Na so I dey happy with weakness, insult, hard tin, when dem dey persecute me, and trouble because of Christ. Because di time wey I weak, na dat time I strong.
A Papa Heart for di Church
11I don turn fool—na una force me do am. Because na una for don praise me, because I no dey below dem so-called super-apostle dem for anytin, even though I be notin. 12Dem do di signs of true apostle for una middle with plenty patience: signs, wonda dem, and mighty work dem. 13For wetin una worse pass di oda church dem—except say I no put load for una head? Forgive me dis wrong!
14See, na di third time be dis wey I ready to come meet una, and I no go put load for una head—I no want wetin be una own, na una I want. No be pikin suppose save money for im papa and mama, na papa and mama suppose save for dem pikin dem. 15I go gladly spend and make dem spend me finish for una soul—if I dey love una more, na so make una go love me less? 16Make e be so—I no put load for una head. But because I sabi sense, dem talk say na by trick I catch una. 17I take advantage of una through any of dem wey I send come una side? 18I beg Titus make e go, and I send di broda go with am. Titus take advantage of una? No be di same spirit we waka with, for di same footstep?
19Una tink say na defend we dey defend weself give una all dis time? We dey talk inside Christ, for di front of our Papa—everytin, my beloved people, na to build una up. 20I dey fear say wen I come, I no go find una as I want, and una no go find me as una want—say quarrel go dey, jealousy, anger wey dey burst out, selfish ambition, bad-mouth, gossip, pride, and wahala wey no get order. 21I dey fear say wen I come again, my Papa fit humble me for una front, and I go cry for plenty people wey sin before and no still turn from di dirty way, sexual sin, and lust wey dem dey do.
