2 I know a man in Christ fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or outside the body I do not know, God knows—such a man was caught up to the third heaven,
3 and I know this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows—
4 that he was caught up to paradise and heard words not to be spoken, which it is not permitted for a person to speak.
5 On behalf of such a person I will boast, but on behalf of myself I will not boast, except in my weaknesses.
6 For if I want to boast, I will not be foolish, because I will be telling the truth, but I am refraining, so that no one can credit to me more than what he sees in me or hears anything from me,
7 even because of the extraordinary degree of the revelations. Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan, in order that it would torment me so that I would not exalt myself.
8 Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would depart from me.