Failure Isn’t Final

¹ Boasting is necessary, though it is not beneficial; but I will go on to visions and revelations ^[a]of the Lord. 
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. 
³ And I know how such a man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows— 
⁴ was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak. 
⁵ In behalf of such a man I will boast; but in my own behalf I will not boast, except regarding my weaknesses. 
⁶ For if I do wish to boast I will not be foolish, for I will be speaking the truth; but I refrain from this, so that no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me.
⁷ Because of the extraordinary greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to ^[b]torment me—to keep me from exalting myself! 
⁸ Concerning this I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might leave me. 
⁹ And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast ^[c]about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 
¹⁰ Therefore I delight in weaknesses, in ^[d]insults, in distresses, in persecutions, in difficulties, in behalf of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong.