2 Corinthians 12:7

But to keep me. This shows that 2 Corinthians 12:2 speaks of Paul himself. Puffed up. One who is puffed up by his visions and experiences, tends to de-emphasize God. In contrast to the boasting of the false teachers, Paul says God gave him a painful physical ailment to keep him from being proud. What this was, we have no way of knowing. Two things most often suggested are: chronic eye disease; epilepsy. [Chrysostom thinks it was not something in his body, but an opponent who followed him around and tried to destroy his work. Ephraim Syrus identifies the painful physical ailment as Alexander the metalworker (2 Timothy 4:14).]