Passage
I have known a man in Christ, fourteen years ago--whether in the body I have not known, whether out of the body I have not known, God hath known--such an one being caught away unto the third heaven;
2 Corinthians 12:2 (YLT)
Nearby Context
2 Corinthians 12:1 To boast, really, is not profitable for me, for I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.
2 Corinthians 12:2 I have known a man in Christ, fourteen years ago--whether in the body I have not known, whether out of the body I have not known, God hath known--such an one being caught away unto the third heaven;
2 Corinthians 12:3 and I have known such a man--whether in the body, whether out of the body, I have not known, God hath known, --
2 Corinthians 12:4 that he was caught away to the paradise, and heard unutterable sayings, that it is not possible for man to speak.
Study Lenses
The verse centers on "known", "christ", "fourteen", "years", "ago--whether", and "body". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "known" and "christ", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.
The nearby context moves from verse 1's "To boast really is not profitable for..." into verse 3's "and I have known such a man--whether...", so "known" and "christ" belong inside that flow. In 2 Corinthians context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.
A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "known" and "christ" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.