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NASB | 2 Corinthians 12:2 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. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 2 Corinthians 12:2 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, [only] God knows--such a man was caught up to the third heaven. [Luke 23:43] |
Subject: Three different heavens in the Bible? |
Bible Note: In my happy life I have made three sound and satisfying decisions (1) To accept Jesus as my Savior and Lord at age 14; (2) to marry the woman I fell in love with 42 years ago; and (3) to purchase the MacArthur Study Bible. How frequently he comes to my rescue when I come across a passage or locution in the Bible on which I need more light. Of Paul's difficult passage in 2 Cor. 12:2, John MacArthur says: "Paul was not describing two separate visions; the 'third heaven' and 'Paradise' are the same place (cf. Rev.2:7 which says the tree of life is in Paradise, with Rev.22:14, which says it is in heaven). The first heaven is the earth's atmosphere (Gen.8:2; Deut.11:11; 1 Kings 8:35); the second is interplanetary and interstellar space (Gen.15:5; Ps.8:3; Is.13:10); and the third the abode of God (1 Kings 8:30; 2 Chr.30:27; Ps.123:1" The "man in Christ" was Paul himself, as MacArthur points out in another footnote. --Hank |