I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. 3 And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— 4 and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. 5 On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. 6 Though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. 

Although Paul speaks rather obliquely, and humbly about ”a man”, it is obvious from verse 7 that he is speaking about himself.

Tom Hale explains that: ‘The third heaven is a Jewish expression, which means a place where God is present. According to Jewish belief in Paul’s time, the ”first heaven” was the sky and the ”second heaven” was the universe. According to that belief, then, the ”third heaven” signifies the spiritual heaven where Christ sits on the right hand of God (see Acts 1:10-11; Ephesians 1:20), and where believers in Christ will live forever.’

He also points out that ”paradise” and ”the third heaven” may be just two descriptions of the same place.

Certainly we can affirm that Christianity is a supernatural faith, and we should always be open to the possibility of God showing us things that we cannot explain. This was a remarkable experience for Paul. I don’t believe it is one we should seek as such. We definitely can’t manufacture it. We are not in control. But as we continue to seek the Lord Himself (and his gifts: 1 Cor.12-14) who can say where this adventure may take us?