2 Corinthians 12:1-5

Rachel Workman: 12 This boasting will do no good, but I must go on. I will reluctantly tell about visions and revelations from the Lord. ² I^[a] was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether I was in my body or out of my body, I don’t know—only God knows. ³ Yes, only God knows whether I was in my body or outside my body. But I do know ⁴ that I was caught up^[b] to paradise and heard things so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words, things no human is allowed to tell.
⁵ That experience is worth boasting about, but I’m not going to do it. I will boast only about my weaknesses.
I think it's interesting that Paul said no human is allowed to tell. It tells us that we need to discern even harder when we hear stories of vision and visits to heaven. God's word says no human is allowed to tell.

____________________________________________________________________________________

John Burnett: 12 I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. ² I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows. ³ And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— ⁴ was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell. ⁵ I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses.  Boasting about our weaknesses keeps us humble and repentant.  Paul called himself the Chief of Sinners, yet he wrote half of the New Testament and was instrumental in growing the church.  I, unlike Paul in this passage, put very little faith in those who claim they went to heaven and came back to write a book or make a movie about it.  God knows whether they are true or not and that is all that matters.  God has revealed to us what He wants revealed in His Word.  Extra revelation by an 11 year old or an East Texas preacher just doesn’t sound Biblical to me.  I could be wrong though I doubt my mind could be changed.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Allen Michaels:  12 I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. Paul himself had dreams and visions. He once had a vision of the Lord. It was when he saw Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 22:6-11; 26:12-20). That was the first and most important time. Afterwards Paul saw a vision of a man of Macedonia. He was asking Paul to come over and help them (Acts 16:9-10). God gave Paul the gospel through a vision (Galatians 1:12). (See also Ephesians 3:3-5, 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 and 1 Thessalonians 4:15.) ² I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows. ³ And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— ⁴ was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell. It seems that Paul is talking about another man and not himself. He still tries hard not to speak about himself. He would rather show that he is weak. He could have said, ‘14 years ago, I had a vision’. Instead, he says ‘I know a man in Christ who had a vision. This was 14 years ago’. So Paul is speaking about himself. Clearly, this was after he had become a Christian. He is not talking about the vision that he had on the road to Damascus. To be ‘in Christ’ is to be a new person. ⁵ I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Tomorrow's reading for 2 Corinthians 12:6-10
⁶ 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, ⁷ even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.

⁸ Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. ⁹ Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. ¹⁰ That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.