Léctio Epístolæ beáti Pauli Apóstoli ad Corínthios
2 Cor 11:19-33; 12:1-9
Fratres: Libénter suffértis insipiéntes: cum sitis ipsi sapiéntes. Sustinétis enim, si quis vos in servitútem rédigit, si quis dévorat, si quis áccipit, si quis extóllitur, si quis in fáciem vos cædit. Secúndum ignobilitátem dico, quasi nos infírmi fuérimus in hac parte. In quo quis audet, - in insipiéntia dico - áudeo et ego: Hebræi sunt, et ego: Israëlítæ sunt, et ego: Semen Abrahæ sunt, et ego: Minístri Christi sunt, - ut minus sápiens dico - plus ego: in labóribus plúrimis, in carcéribus abundántius, in plagis supra modum, in mórtibus frequénter. A Judæis quínquies quadragénas, una minus, accépi. Ter virgis cæsus sum, semel lapidátus sum, ter naufrágium feci, nocte et die in profúndo maris fui: in itinéribus sæpe, perículis flúminum, perículis latrónum, perículis ex génere, perículis ex géntibus, perículis in civitáte, perículis in solitúdine, perículis in mari, perículis in falsis frátribus: in labóre et ærúmna, in vigíliis multis, in fame et siti, in jejúniis multis, in frigóre et nuditáte: præter illa, quæ extrínsecus sunt, instántia mea cotidiána, sollicitúdo ómnium Ecclesiárum. Quis infirmátur, et ego non infírmor? quis scandalizátur, et ego non uror? Si gloriári opórtet: quæ infirmitátis meæ sunt, gloriábor. Deus et Pater Dómini nostri Jesu Christi, qui est benedíctus in sǽcula, scit quod non méntior. Damásci præpósitus gentis Arétæ regis, custodiébat civitátem Damascenórum, ut me comprehénderet: et per fenéstram in sporta dimíssus sum per murum, et sic effúgi manus ejus. Si gloriári opórtet - non éxpedit quidem, - véniam autem ad visiónes et revelatiónes Dómini. Scio hóminem in Christo ante annos quatuórdecim, - sive in córpore néscio, sive extra corpus néscio, Deus scit - raptum hujúsmodi usque ad tértium cælum. Et scio hujúsmodi hóminem, - sive in córpore, sive extra corpus néscio, Deus scit:- quóniam raptus est in paradisum: et audivit arcána verba, quæ non licet homini loqui. Pro hujúsmodi gloriábor: pro me autem nihil gloriábor nisi in infirmitátibus meis. Nam, et si volúero gloriári, non ero insípiens: veritátem enim dicam: parco autem, ne quis me exístimet supra id, quod videt in me, aut áliquid audit ex me. Et ne magnitúdo revelatiónem extóllat me, datus est mihi stímulus carnis meæ ángelus sátanæ, qui me colaphízet. Propter quod ter Dóminum rogávi, ut discéderet a me: et dixit mihi: Súfficit tibi grátia mea: nam virtus in infirmitáte perfícitur. Libénter ígitur gloriábor in infirmitátibus meis, ut inhábitet in me virtus Christi.
Lesson from the second letter of St. Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians
2 Cor. 11:19-33; 12:1-9
Brethren: You gladly put up with fools, because you are wise yourselves! For you suffer it if a man enslaves you, if a man devours you, if a man takes from you, if a man is arrogant, if a man slaps your face! I speak to my own shame, as though we had been weak. But wherein any man is bold - I am speaking foolishly - I also am bold. Are they Hebrews? So am I! Are they Israelites? So am I! Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I! Are they ministers of Christ? I - to speak as a fool - am more: in many more labors, in prisons more frequently, in lashes above measure, often exposed to death. From the Jews five times I received forty lashes less one. Thrice I was scourged, once I was stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I was adrift on the sea; in journeyings often, in perils from floods, in perils from robbers, in perils from my own nation, in perils from the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils from false brethren; in labor and hardships, in many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Besides those outer things, there is my daily pressing anxiety, the care of all the churches! Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I am not inflamed? If I must boast, I will boast of the things that concern my weakness. The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, Who is blessed forevermore, knows that I do not lie. In Damascus the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of the Damascenes in order to arrest me, but I was lowered in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped his hands. If I must boast - it is not indeed expedient to do so - but I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago - whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows - such a one was caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man - whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows that he was caught up into paradise and heard secret words that man may not repeat. Of such a man I will boast; but of myself I will glory in nothing save in my infirmities. For if I do wish to boast, I shall not be foolish; for I shall be speaking the truth. But I forbear, lest any man should reckon me beyond what he sees in me or hears from me. And lest the greatness of the revelations should puff me up, there was given me a thorn for the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to buffet me. Concerning this I thrice besought the Lord that it might leave me. And He has said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for strength is made perfect in weakness. Gladly therefore I will glory in my infirmities, that the strength of Christ may dwell in me.