2 Corinthians 12:4 Parallel Translations

was snatched away to paradise where he heard things that can't be expressed in words, things that humans cannot put into words. I don't know whether this happened to him physically or spiritually. Only God knows. (GOD'S WORD®)

KJV:

How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

ASV:

how that he was caught up into Paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

BBE:

How he was taken up into Paradise, and words came to his ears which may not be said, and which man is not able to say.

DBY:

that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable things said which it is not allowed to man to utter.

ERV:

how that he was caught up into Paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

WEY:

God knows--was caught up into Paradise and heard unspeakable things which no human being is permitted to repeat.

WBS:

That he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

WEB:

how he was caught up into Paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

YLT:

that he was caught away to the paradise, and heard unutterable sayings, that it is not possible for man to speak.

2 Corinthians 12:4 Cross References

XREF:

Ezekiel 8:3 He stretched out the form of a hand and caught me by a lock of my head; and the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the north gate of the inner court, where the seat of the idol of jealousy, which provokes to jealousy, was located.

Luke 23:43 And He said to him, "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise."

Acts 8:39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but went on his way rejoicing.

2 Corinthians 12:2 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 man was caught up to the third heaven.

1 Thessalonians 4:17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.

Revelation 12:5 And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne. (NASB ©1995)

Commentaries and Concordances

GSB:

12:4 How that he was caught up into {c} paradise, and heard {d} unspeakable words, which it is not {e} lawful for a man to utter.
(c) So the Greeks name that which we call a park, that is to say, a place where trees are planted, and wild beasts kept. And those that translated the Old Testament out of Hebrew into Greek, called the garden of Eden by this name, into which Adam was put immediately after his creation, as a most delicate and pleasant place. And from this it occurred that the blessed seat of the glory of God is called by that name.
(d) Which no man is able to utter.
(e) Which the saints themselves are not by any means able to express, because it is God himself. This is the way that Clement of Alexandria explains this passage, Strom. 5.

PNT:

12:4 He was caught up into paradise. Paradise and the third heaven (2Co 12:2) evidently mean the same. The term applied to a blessed abode beyond the life in Lu 23:43 Re 2:7.
Heard unspeakable words. Words that would be neither right nor possible to reveal in human speech.

WES:

12:4 He was caught up into paradise - The seat of happy spirits in their separate state, between death and the resurrection. Things which it is not possible for man to utter - Human language being incapable of expressing them. Here he anticipated the joyous rest of the righteous that die in the Lord. But this rapture did not precede, but follow after, his being caught up to the third heaven: a strong intimation that he must first discharge his mission, and then enter into glory. And beyond all doubt, such a foretaste of it served to strengthen him in all his after trials, when he could call to mind the very joy that was prepared for him.

MHC:

12:1-6 There can be no doubt the apostle speaks of himself. Whether heavenly things were brought down to him, while his body was in a trance, as in the case of ancient prophets; or whether his soul was dislodged from the body for a time, and taken up into heaven, or whether he was taken up, body and soul together, he knew not. We are not capable, nor is it fit we should yet know, the particulars of that glorious place and state. He did not attempt to publish to the world what he had heard there, but he set forth the doctrine of Christ. On that foundation the church is built, and on that we must build our faith and hope. And while this teaches us to enlarge our expectations of the glory that shall be revealed, it should render us contented with the usual methods of learning the truth and will of God.

CONC:

Able Allowed Caught Ears Human Inexpressible Lawful Paradise Permitted Possible Repeat Sayings Speak Unspeakable Unutterable Utter

Able Allowed Caught Ears Heard Human Inexpressible Lawful Paradise Permitted Possible Repeat Sayings Speak Unspeakable Unutterable Utter Words

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GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Quotations are used by permission. Copyright 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved.

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