The Ammonites and Syrians Defeated^(A)

10 It happened after this that the ^(B)king of the people of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his place. ² Then David said, “I will show ^(C)kindness to Hanun the son of ^(D)Nahash, as his father showed kindness to me.”

So David sent by the hand of his servants to comfort him concerning his father. And David’s servants came into the land of the people of Ammon. ³ And the princes of the people of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think that David really honors your father because he has sent comforters to you? Has David not rather sent his servants to you to search the city, to spy it out, and to overthrow it?”

⁴ Therefore Hanun took David’s servants, shaved off half of their beards, cut off their garments in the middle, ^(E)at their buttocks, and sent them away. ⁵ When they told David, he sent to meet them, because the men were greatly ^[a]ashamed. And the king said, “Wait at Jericho until your beards have grown, and then return.”

⁶ When the people of Ammon saw that they ^(F)had made themselves repulsive to David, the people of Ammon sent and hired ^(G)the Syrians of ^(H)Beth Rehob and the Syrians of Zoba, twenty thousand foot soldiers; and from the king of ^(I)Maacah one thousand men, and from ^(J)Ish-Tob twelve thousand men. ⁷ Now when David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army of ^(K)the mighty men. ⁸ Then the people of Ammon came out and put themselves in battle array at the entrance of the gate. And ^(L)the Syrians of Zoba, Beth Rehob, Ish-Tob, and Maacah were by themselves in the field.

⁹ When Joab saw that the battle line was against him before and behind, he chose some of Israel’s best and put them in battle array against the Syrians. ¹⁰ And the rest of the people he put under the command of ^(M)Abishai his brother, that he might set them in battle array against the people of Ammon. ¹¹ Then he said, “If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the people of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will come and help you. ^12 (N)Be of good courage, and let us ^(O)be strong for our people and for the cities of our God. And may ^(P)the Lord do what is good in His sight.”

¹³ So Joab and the people who were with him drew near for the battle against the Syrians, and they fled before him. ¹⁴ When the people of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fleeing, they also fled before Abishai, and entered the city. So Joab returned from the people of Ammon and went to ^(Q)Jerusalem.

¹⁵ When the Syrians saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they gathered together. ¹⁶ Then ^[b]Hadadezer sent and brought out the Syrians who were beyond ^[c]the River, and they came to Helam. And ^[d]Shobach the commander of Hadadezer’s army went before them. ¹⁷ When it was told David, he gathered all Israel, crossed over the Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set themselves in battle array against David and fought with him. ¹⁸ Then the Syrians fled before Israel; and David killed seven hundred charioteers and forty thousand ^(R)horsemen of the Syrians, and struck Shobach the commander of their army, who died there. ¹⁹ And when all the kings who were servants to ^[e]Hadadezer saw that they were defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and ^(S)served them. So the Syrians were afraid to help the people of Ammon anymore.

The Vision of Paradise

12 It is ^[a]doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to ^(A)visions and ^(B)revelations of the Lord: ² I know a man ^(C)in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one ^(D)was caught up to the third heaven. ³ And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— ⁴ how he was caught up into ^(E)Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. ⁵ Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not ^(F)boast, except in my infirmities. ⁶ For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me.

The Thorn in the Flesh

⁷ And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a ^(G)thorn in the flesh was given to me, ^(H)a messenger of Satan to ^[b]buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. ^8 (I)Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. ⁹ And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly ^(J)I will rather boast in my infirmities, ^(K)that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ¹⁰ Therefore ^(L)I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. ^(M)For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Signs of an Apostle

¹¹ I have become ^(N)a fool ^[c]in boasting; you have compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you; for ^(O)in nothing was I behind the most eminent apostles, though ^(P)I am nothing. ^12 (Q)Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and ^(R)wonders and mighty ^(S)deeds. ¹³ For what is it in which you were inferior to other churches, except that I myself was not burdensome to you? Forgive me this wrong!

Love for the Church

^14 (T)Now for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be burdensome to you; for ^(U)I do not seek yours, but you. ^(V)For the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. ¹⁵ And I will very gladly spend and be spent ^(W)for your souls; though ^(X)the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.

¹⁶ But be that as it may, ^(Y)I did not burden you. Nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you by cunning! ¹⁷ Did I take advantage of you by any of those whom I sent to you? ¹⁸ I urged Titus, and sent our ^(Z)brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same steps?

^19 (AA)Again, ^[d]do you think that we excuse ourselves to you? ^(AB)We speak before God in Christ. ^(AC)But we do all things, beloved, for your edification. ²⁰ For I fear lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish, and that ^(AD)I shall be found by you such as you do not wish; lest there be contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, backbitings, whisperings, conceits, tumults; ²¹ lest, when I come again, my God ^(AE)will humble me among you, and I shall mourn for many ^(AF)who have sinned before and have not repented of the uncleanness, ^(AG)fornication, and lewdness which they have practiced.