independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecontentconditionalphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended
Flush-left = a main (independent) clause. Each dependent line begins directly beneath the word it attaches to in the line above — the anchor word is dotted-underlined, and lights up when you hover its dependent clause; each tag also names the attachment. A dashed border marks verbless, elliptical, or suspended lines. Where a long sentence's staircase runs wider than the page, the diagram scrolls sideways. (In print, or without JavaScript, lines fall back to stepped indent columns.)
The third heaven — a boast told in the third person 12:1–6
vv. 1–4 — visions and revelations: the rapture, fourteen years past
1
It is necessary to boast;independent — the forced boast — the fool's speech resumes
it is not profitable, to be sure,independent — verbless concession — μέν answered by δέ
but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord.independent — the new topic — κυρίου as source
2
I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago —independent — the third-person veil — Paul of himself
whether in the body I do not know,independent — parenthesis — the mode left open
or out of the body I do not know,independent — parenthesis — the alternative equally unknown
God knows —independent — God's knowledge against Paul's ignorance
such a one was caught up as far as the third heaven.participial — complement of οἶδα — divine passive, τὸν τοιοῦτον resuming ἄνθρωπον
3
and I know that such a man —independent — the resumptive restatement, building to the climax
whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know,independent — the parenthesis repeated — χωρίς for ἐκτός
God knows —independent — the refrain of reticence
4
that he was caught up into Paradisecontent — the content of the knowing — the third heaven now named Paradise
and heard inexpressible words,content — coordinate content — the revelation auditory
which a man is not permitted to speak.relative — ἐξόν with implied ἐστίν — the boast self-cancelling: what he heard may not be told
vv. 5–6 — the boast declined: only weaknesses
5
On behalf of such a one I will boast,independent — the veil kept — boasting of the 'other' self
but on behalf of myself I will not boast,independent — the antithesis — ἐμαυτοῦ against τοῦ τοιούτου
except in my weaknesses.phrase modifier — εἰ μή — the lone allowable ground
6
For if I should wish to boast,conditional — protasis — leans on the apodosis below
I will not be a fool,independent — apodosis — the folly is feigned, not real
for I will speak the truth;cause — the ground — the boast would be factual, unlike the rivals'
but I refrain,independent — the abstention — for the readers' sake
lest anyone reckon of mepurpose — negative purpose — μή + subjunctive
beyond what he sees in me or hears from me.relative — ὑπὲρ ὅ — the limit: only the observable Paul counts
The thorn in the flesh — grace sufficient, power in weakness 12:7–10
vv. 7–8 — the thorn given, its removal thrice begged
7
And because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations —independent — anacoluthon — the dangling dative: readable with v. 6, here suspended and resumed by διό
therefore, so that I might not be over-exalted,purpose — fronted purpose — leans on ἐδόθη below; the notorious syntax of v. 7
there was given to me a thorn in the flesh,independent — divine passive — God ordains what Satan inflicts; the σκόλοψ left unnamed
a messenger of Satan,phrase modifier — apposition — the thorn personified as a hostile emissary
to buffet me,purpose — the messenger's work — present tense, repeated blows
so that I might not be over-exalted.purpose — the refrain repeated — the preventive purpose brackets the verse
8
Concerning this I implored the Lord three timesindependent — the threefold petition — echoing Gethsemane
that it might depart from me.purpose — content of the plea — complete removal
vv. 9–10 — the oracle and the inversion: weakness embraced
9
And he has said to me:independent — intensive perfect — the answer stands as an abiding word
'My grace is sufficient for you,content — the Lord's answer — quoted under εἴρηκεν
for power is perfected in weakness.'cause — the oracle's ground — gnomic: weakness is power's arena
Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast in my weaknesses,independent — the resolve — οὖν draws the consequence of the oracle
so that the power of Christ may tabernacle upon me.purpose — ἐπισκηνόω — the Shekinah overtone: power tenting over weakness
10
Therefore I am content with weaknesses,independent — the settled disposition — εὐδοκέω, positive delight
with insults, with hardships, with persecutions and distresses,phrase modifier — the catalogue of sufferings continued
for the sake of Christ;phrase modifier — the transvaluing qualifier — borne for him, not random woes
for whenever I am weak,conditional — ὅταν — indefinite temporal, protasis-style: leans on the line below
then I am strong.independent — the paradox — the seal of the whole fool's speech
The signs of an apostle — nothing inferior 12:11–13
11
I have become a fool;independent — the veil dropped — perfect: he now stands as the fool
you compelled me.independent — the blame pinned — emphatic ὑμεῖς
For I ought to have been commended by you;cause — the ground — imperfect ὤφειλον, an obligation they failed
for I was in no way inferior to the super-apostles,cause — the deeper ground — parity with the ironic 'super-apostles' (cf. 11:5)
even though I am nothing.conditional — εἰ καί — backward concession: parity affirmed, worth disclaimed
12
The signs of an apostle were indeed worked among you with all endurance,independent — divine passive — ὑπομονή placed first among the credentials
by signs and wonders and mighty deeds.phrase modifier — datives of means — the standard triad (cf. Acts 2:22; Heb 2:4)
13
For in what were you made inferior to the rest of the churches,independent — the rhetorical question — internal relative kept on one line
except that I myself did not burden you?content — εἰ μὴ ὅτι — the sole 'deprivation': his refusal of support
Forgive me this wrong!independent — biting irony — the mock apology
The third visit — a father who will not burden his children 12:14–18
vv. 14–15 — the announcement and the parental maxim
14
Behold, this third time I am ready to come to you,independent — the announcement — ἑτοίμως ἔχω, 'I stand ready'
and I will not be a burden;independent — the settled policy reaffirmed for the coming visit
for I do not seek what is yours but you;cause — the ground — persons, not property
for the children ought not to store up for the parents,cause — the maxim of family economy — gnomic present
but the parents for the children.phrase modifier — ellipsis — the obligation reversed: Paul the providing father
15
And I will most gladly spend and be utterly spent for your souls.independent — the father's expenditure — active and passive, to the last
If, loving you the more abundantly,conditional — protasis — εἰ with the participle ἀγαπῶν; leans on the question below
am I to be loved the less?independent — the wounded question — greater love, lesser return
vv. 16–18 — the charge of craft answered: Titus the exhibit
16
But be that as it may —independent — concessive imperative — 'granted'
I did not burden you;independent — the conceded fact — even opponents admit it
yet 'being crafty,participial — sentence-opening participle — the opponents' insinuation begins
I caught you by deceit' — so runs the charge.independent — the slander quoted from the rivals' lips — dismantled in vv. 17–18
17
Of any of those I have sent to you —independent — casus pendens — τινα suspended, resumed by δι' αὐτοῦ
did I take advantage of you through him?independent — μή expects 'no' — no envoy exploited them
18
I urged Titus to go,independent — the test case named
and I sent the brother with him.independent — the witness alongside (cf. 8:18–22)
Titus did not take advantage of you, did he?independent — μήτι expects 'no'
Did we not walk in the same spirit?independent — οὐ expects 'yes' — identical conduct
Not in the same footsteps?independent — elliptical — the verb carried over; the close of the rebuttal
Fear for the church — edification, not self-defense 12:19–21
v. 19 — the misreading corrected: all of it before God, for their building
19
Have you been thinking all alongindependent — the possible misreading of the whole defense
that we are defending ourselves to you?content — the supposed content — the Corinthians as judges, denied
It is before God, in Christ, that we speak;independent — coram Deo — the true tribunal
and all of it, beloved, is for your upbuilding.independent — verbless — the aim named, with the tender vocative
vv. 20–21 — the double fear: what he may find, and whom he may mourn
20
For I fearindependent — the pastoral dread — one verb governs vv. 20–21
that perhaps, when I come, I may not find you such as I wish,content — fear-clause — μή πως + subjunctive; ἐλθών temporal within
and I may be found by you such as you do not wish —content — the mirrored fear — finder and found exchanged
that perhaps there be strife,phrase modifier — the vice column opens — μή πως with 'there be' implied
jealousy,phrase modifier — party-spirit and rivalry
outbursts of anger,phrase modifier — the plural — flares of temper
selfish ambitions,phrase modifier — factious self-seeking
slanders,phrase modifier — open defamation
whisperings,phrase modifier — covert gossip — the twin of open slander
conceits,phrase modifier — the Corinthian puffing-up (cf. 1 Cor 4–5; 8:1)
disorders;phrase modifier — the chaos these vices breed — the column's close
21
lest, when I come again, my God may humble me before you,content — the deepest fear — genitive absolute ἐλθόντος μου; πάλιν recalls the painful visit
and I may mourn many of those who have sinned beforecontent — coordinate subjunctive — mourning as for the dead
and have not repented of the impurity and sexual immorality and licentiousnessparticipial — the participle chain — unrepentance is what makes the case grievous
which they practiced.relative — ᾗ — dative by attraction; the somber close propelling ch. 13
Analysis. The chapter falls into two halves, and the colors show the seam. In vv. 1–10 the fool's speech reaches its summit and inverts: short flush-left purple main clauses carry a story told at arm's length — οἶδα ἄνθρωπον ἐν Χριστῷ, with the doubled parenthesis 'whether in the body I do not know … God knows' hanging as coordinate asides — until the rapture's climax (Paradise, unspeakable words) is immediately declined as a boast (v. 5) and countered by the thorn: a suspended dative fragment (καὶ τῇ ὑπερβολῇ τῶν ἀποκαλύψεων, dashed) opens v. 7, a fronted ἵνα μὴ ὑπεραίρωμαι leans forward on ἐδόθη, and the Lord's abiding answer (perfect εἴρηκεν) hangs as quoted content — 'my grace suffices; power is perfected in weakness' — resolving into the paradox ὅταν ἀσθενῶ, τότε δυνατός εἰμι. Verses 11–21 then descend from irony (the signs of an apostle; 'forgive me this wrong!') through the third-visit announcement with its parental maxim and the rebuttal of the craftiness charge (Titus the exhibit, a volley of flush-left questions), to the fear-clauses of vv. 20–21, where an eight-item vice column hangs verbless under a single φοβοῦμαι. Cruxes the layout takes a side on, named honestly: (1) the σκόλοψ — whether a bodily ailment (eye disease, malaria, epilepsy have all been urged), the persecuting opponents, or a recurrent temptation — is left undefined, as Paul leaves it; the layout only sets τῇ σαρκί with the giving and ἄγγελος Σατανᾶ as apposition, which fits an embodied affliction without excluding personal adversaries. (2) The v. 7 syntax: καὶ τῇ ὑπερβολῇ τῶν ἀποκαλύψεων is rendered as an anacoluthic fragment — readable with v. 6's 'sees/hears of me,' but here suspended and resumed by διό, with the fronted purpose clause leaning on ἐδόθη. (3) The third-person narration of vv. 2–5 is taken as Paul's own experience under a deliberate veil — the τοιοῦτος of v. 5 and the first-person thorn of v. 7 close the circle — so the 'such a one / myself' antithesis is laid out as rhetorical distancing, not two different men.