2 Corinthians 12:2 Meaning and Explanation
“I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Paul describes, in the third person, a man caught up to the third heaven fourteen years earlier, leaving the manner of it to God.
What Does 2 Corinthians 12:2 Mean?
Paul tells of an extraordinary experience, speaking of himself in the third person as a man in Christ. Fourteen years before, this man was caught up to the third heaven, a phrase describing the very presence of God above the visible sky and the heavens of the stars. Paul cannot say whether he was in the body or out of it; only God knows.
His restraint is striking. Granted a glimpse of glory most never receive, Paul refuses to trade on it or exaggerate the details. He leaves the mystery where it belongs, in the hands of the One who knoweth. Such humility teaches that the deepest encounters with God do not inflate us but make us more careful to give Him alone the glory.
2 Corinthians 12:2 in the Original Language
harpazo (ἁρπάζω), 'caught up' -- to be seized or snatched away suddenly by a power beyond oneself.
Frequently Asked Questions About 2 Corinthians 12:2
What does 2 Corinthians 12:2 mean?
Paul describes, in the third person, a man caught up to the third heaven fourteen years earlier, leaving the manner of it to God.