Q:   Who was caught up to the third heaven and heard inexpressible words which a man is not permitted to speak? How is such a man in the body or apart from the body? Is that man the Apostle Paul? How we can conclude it?

A:   The scripture to which you are referring is, of course, 2 Corinthians 12:1-7:

In order for us to understand the point Paul is trying to make here, we need to examine the context of the verse. In Chapter 11 we find Paul contending with false teachers, who would lure men away from God with their false claims of being close to God. Paul does a little "boasting" himself, not to receive personal praise so much as to refute those who were claiming to know the mind of God. He continues this "boasting" in Chapter 12.

He is describing a man who has seen visions and revelations directly from God. He does not want to say directly that he is the man who witnessed these things, because he does not want them to think too highly of him. A common literary technique is for a writer to refer to himself in the third person to avoid drawing undue attention. It seems clear, however, that he is speaking of himself. There are no clear Biblical details because Paul refused to reveal them, as he was instructed to do.

He could not explain exactly how the revelation had occurred. He did not know whether he was in a trance when these heavenly things were shown to him (in the body), or whether his soul was separated from his body for a time, and taken up into heaven (out of the body). God could certainly have done it either way.

Whatever he witnessed, he was expressly forbidden from speaking the inexpressible words he had been privileged to hear. It would be easy for a man to become proud because of this special revelation from God. Therefore, Paul explains a that he was given a "thorn in the flesh" to help keep him humble. What exactly this physical ailment might have been he also did not reveal.

Whatever vision this man saw while in Paradise, and whatever words this man heard directly from God, they only confirmed his need to preach and proclaim the power of God throughout his entire lifetime.