2 Corinthians 12:9 (WEB)
He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me.
Catechism · 3
The Anointing of the Sick
“Thus St. Paul must learn from the Lord that "my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness," and that the sufferings to be endured can mean that "in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his Body, that is, the Church."” — Catechism footnote: 2 Cor 12:9; Col 1:24.
The Almighty
“God's power is loving, for he is our Father, and mysterious, for only faith can discern it when it "is made perfect in weakness".” — Catechism footnote: Cf. Gen 1:1; Jn 1:3; Mt 6:9; 2 Cor 12:9; cf. I Cor 1:18.
“This faith glories in its weaknesses in order to draw to itself Christ's power.” — Catechism footnote: Cf. 2 Cor 12:9; Phil 4:13.
Fathers and councils · 39
Irenaeus of Lyons
“For, when strength was made perfect in weakness, it showed the kindness and transcendent power of God.” — editor's note: 2 Cor. xii. 9.
Read the whole comment“Gladly therefore shall I rather glory in infirmities, that the power of Christ may dwell in me.”” — editor's note: 2 Cor. xii. 7–9.
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John Cassian
- John Cassian, Conferences I–X IX.34Conference IX
“And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee, for strength is made perfect in weakness.”” — editor's note: 2 Cor. xii. 8, 9.
Read the whole comment - John Cassian, Conferences I–X VI.3Conference VI
“For when I am weak, then I am strong, for power is made perfect in infirmity.”” — editor's note: 2 Cor. xii. 9, 10.
Read the whole comment - John Cassian, Conferences I–X VII.5Conference VII
“You see then that none but sufferers and weak people can fight the Lord’s battles, weak indeed with that weakness, founded on which that centurion of ours in the gospel said with confidence: “For when I am weak, then am I strong,” and again, “for strength is made perfect in weakness.”” — editor's note: 2 Cor. xii. 9, 10.
Read the whole comment - John Cassian, Conferences XI–XVII XIII.6Conference XIII
“And He said to me: My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness:” and again: “For we know not what to pray for as we ought.”” — editor's note: 2 Cor. xii. 8, 9; Rom. viii. 26.
Read the whole comment - John Cassian, Conferences XVIII–XXIV XVIII.13Conference XVIII
“And they shall fight against thee, and shall not prevail: for I am with thee, saith the Lord, to deliver thee.”” — editor's note: 2 Cor. xii. 9; Jer. i. 18, 19.
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Augustine of Hippo
“I am a little one, but my Father liveth for ever, and my Defender is “sufficient” for me.” — editor's note: 2 Cor. xii. 9.
Read the whole comment““Thrice,” he saith, “I besought the Lord that He would take it from me; and He said to me, My Grace sufficeth for thee: for virtue in weakness is made perfect.”” — editor's note: 2 Cor. xii. 8, 9.
Read the whole comment““Lest by the greatness,” he saith, “of the revelations I should be exalted, there was given to me a thorn of my flesh, the angel of Satan, to buffet me: wherefore thrice the Lord I besought, that it should depart from me: and He said to me, My grace is sufficient for thee, for virtue in weakness is made perfect.”” — editor's note: 2 Cor. xii. 7–9.
Read the whole comment“And it was made weak, but Thou hast made it perfect:” because “virtue in weakness is perfected.”” — editor's note: 2 Cor. xii. 9.
Read the whole comment“…the flesh, to buffet them, that they may not be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, so that strength be made perfect in weakness.” — editor's note: 2 Cor. xii. 7, 9.
Read the whole comment“For He it is who hammereth: for the hammer could not do so of itself.…See how (I dare so speak, my brethren) even the Apostle was beaten with this very hammer: he saith, “there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan, to buffet me.”” — editor's note: 2 Cor. xii. 7–10.
Read the whole comment“And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for strength is made perfect in weakness.”” — editor's note: 2 Cor. xii. 7–9.
Read the whole comment“But He Himself makes us perfect, who says also to the Apostle Paul, “My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”” — editor's note: 2 Cor. xii. 9
Read the whole comment““My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”” — editor's note: 2 Cor. xii. 9.
Read the whole comment“Whence knowest thou, then, that God does not wish to heal thee?” — editor's note: 2 Cor. xii. 8, 9.
Read the whole comment“And here, you see, good was brought about by that which was evil, when the evil was received in a good spirit.” — editor's note: 2 Cor. xii. 7–9.
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Tertullian
“For in other respects, too, injustice in proportion to the enmity it displays against righteousness affords occasion for attestations of that to which it is opposed as an enemy, that so righteousness may be perfected in injustice, as strength is perfected in weakness.” — editor's note: 2 Cor. xii. 9.
Read the whole comment““But withal himself says that ‘a stake was given him, an angel of Satan,’ by which he was to be buffeted, lest he should exalt himself.”” — editor's note: 2 Cor. xii. 7–10.
Read the whole comment“…the flesh which is, so very closely and in so many ways, His neighbour—(He will love it), although infirm, since His strength is made perfect in weakness; although disordered, since “they that are whole need not the physician, but they that are sick;” although not honourable, since “we bestow more abundant honour…” — editor's note: 2 Cor. xii. 9.
Read the whole comment“In this way also “shall strength be made perfect in weakness,”—saving what is lost, reviving what is dead, healing what is stricken, curing what is faint, redeeming what is lost, freeing what is enslaved, recalling what…” — editor's note: 2 Cor. xii. 9.
Read the whole comment“Just as “strength is made perfect in weakness,” so likewise is continence made manifest by the permission to marry.” — editor's note: 2 Cor. xii. 9.
Read the whole comment“Is he then the same God as He who gave Satan power over the person of Job that his “strength might be made perfect in weakness?”” — editor's note: Job i. 12 and 2 Cor. xii. 9.
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Ambrose of Milan
“See you not that those weaknesses, as you please to call them, of Christ’s are your strength?” — editor's note: 2 Cor. xii. 9; xiii. 4; 1 Pet. ii. 24; iv. 13.
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Athanasius of Alexandria
“Through suffering he was weak indeed in body, yet, believing and hoping, he was made strong in spirit, and his strength was made perfect in weakness.” — editor's note: 2 Cor. xii. 9.
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John Chrysostom
“And that these things seem good to God, hear him saying, “For this I besought the Lord thrice, and He said to me, My Grace is sufficient for thee; for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” ( 2 Cor. xii. 8–10.)” — the author cites it
Read the whole comment“For this too is no small matter of consolation, when we learn that it is God’s work that such things have power, He allowing [them]; even as also Paul says; “He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” ( 2 Cor. xii. 9.)” — the author cites it
Read the whole comment“For the “thrice for this I besought the Lord,” is oftentimes; “and He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” ( 2 Cor. xii. 8, 9.)” — the author cites it
Read the whole comment“For even that blessed man, when in much danger and affliction, often besought God that the temptations might depart from him: nevertheless God regarded not his request, but his profit, and to signify this He said, “My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”” — editor's note: 2 Cor. xii. 9.
Read the whole comment“This He said also unto Paul: “My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”“It is I, now mark it, who have caused you so to be.”” — editor's note: 2 Cor. xii. 9.
Read the whole comment“And why marvellest thou, if this is the case with some others, whereas it was so even with Paul, when he heard, “My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is perfected in weakness.”” — editor's note: 2 Cor. xii. 9. [R.V., “for my power is made perfect in weakness.”]
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Jerome
“He will come, it may be, when the limbs are weary with fasting, and rack them with the pangs of disease; but the cry of the apostle will repel him: “When I am weak, then am I strong,” and “My strength is made perfect in weakness.”” — editor's note: 2 Cor. xii. 10, 9.
Read the whole comment“God’s reply was: “My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”” — editor's note: 2 Cor. xii. 8, 9, 10.
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Theodoret of Cyrus
“Wherefore also when the Apostle asked for release from his trials He would not grant his supplication but said, “My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”” — editor's note: 2 Cor. xii. 9
Read the whole comment“But if the surge continue to boil I trust that even thus I shall enjoy the divine protection, and learn by my own experience how His strength is “made perfect in weakness,” for He has measured the peril by my infirmity.” — editor's note: 2 Cor. xii. 9
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Cyprian of Carthage
““There was given to me,” he says, “a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, that I should not be lifted up: for which thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me; and He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee, for strength is made perfect in weakness.”” — editor's note: 2 Cor. xii. 7–9.
Read the whole comment“And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee; for strength is perfected in weakness.”” — editor's note: 2 Cor. xii. 7–9.
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Gregory of Nazianzus
“He takes pleasure in the dying of Jesus, as if it were a kind of ornament.” — editor's note: 2 Cor. iv. 10; xii. 9, 10.
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Cross-references · 33
Cited together in Catechism §273.
Cited together in Catechism §1508.
Cited together in Conferences XI–XVII XIII.6.
Cited together in Conferences XVIII–XXIV XVIII.13.
Cited together in Confessions X.4.
Cited together in Catechism §268.
Cited together in The Five Books Against Marcion I.28.
Cited together in The Five Books Against Marcion I.28.
Cited together in The Five Books Against Marcion I.28.
Cited together in Confessions X.4.
Cited together in Confessions X.4.
Cited together in Confessions X.4.
Cited together in On the Holy Trinity IV.1.
Cited together in Catechism §268.
Cited together in Confessions X.4.
Cited together in Conferences XVIII–XXIV XVIII.13.
Cited together in Conferences XVIII–XXIV XVIII.13.
Cited together in Conferences XVIII–XXIV XVIII.13.
Cited together in On the Resurrection of the Flesh Chapter 9.
Cited together in Letters Letter 124.
Cited together in Catechism §268.
Cited together in Conferences I–X VI.3.
Cited together in Catechism §273.
Cited together in Catechism §273.
Cited together in Catechism §268.
Cited together in On the Holy Trinity IV.1.
Cited together in On the Holy Trinity IV.1.
Cited together in Catechism §268.
Cited together in Confessions X.4.
Cited together in Catechism §1508.
Cited together in Catechism §1508.
Cited together in Catechism §1508.
Cited together in Confessions X.4.