4 God has given us this work to speak his message. Because he has been so kind to us, we are not afraid to continue. 2 We refuse to do anything secretly that we might be ashamed of. We do not tell lies. We do not change God's message to deceive people. No. We tell God's true message clearly. God himself sees that we teach people in an honest way. Everyone should understand that we only do what is right. 3 Some people may not understand the good news that we speak. They are only the people who are losing their lives with God. 4 Those people do not accept God's good news. The god of this world has confused their minds. They cannot see the light that the good news brings. That message teaches about the great power of Christ, who shows us exactly what God is like.
5 We do not speak a message about ourselves. We tell people that Jesus Christ is our Lord. Because we belong to Jesus, we have become your servants, not your masters. 6 God is the one who said, ‘Let light shine in the dark.’ And he is the one who has caused his light to shine deep inside us. Because of that, we know how great and powerful God is. We see that his power shines brightly in Christ's face. [ a ]
7 God has given to us the gift to speak his message. But we ourselves are very weak. It is like we are keeping his valuable gift in clay pots. So it is clear that the great power of God's message comes from God himself. It does not come from us. 8 We receive trouble all the time, but that does not stop us. We do not always know what to do, but we are not afraid to continue. 9 We have many enemies, but we always have friends. People hurt us, but they never destroy us. 10 As we serve Jesus, we know that we may die as he died. Because of that, our lives show that we live because he is alive. 11 Yes, as we live our lives, death is always very near, because we serve Jesus. As a result, people can see in our weak, human bodies that Jesus is alive. 12 So death is near to us, even as we live. But as a result, we are bringing God's life to you.
13 This is written in the Bible: ‘I believed in God, and so I spoke.’ [ b ] We also have the same kind of faith in God. So we also speak God's message, because we believe in him. 14 God raised up the Lord Jesus, to become alive again after his death. Because we belong to Jesus, we know that God will also raise us up after we die. Together with you, God will take us to be where he is. 15 In everything that we do, we want to help you. As a result, more and more people are seeing how kind God is. So people are thanking God more and more. And that shows how great God is.
16 That is why we are not afraid to continue our work. Yes, our bodies are getting older and weaker. But our spirits are becoming stronger every day! 17 We have these little troubles that continue for a short time. But as a result, we will receive the great things that God has prepared for us. Those great things are much more important than our little troubles. And God's great things will continue for ever! 18 So we do not look at the things that we can see in this world. Instead, we look at the things that people cannot see. The things that we can see are only here for a short time. But the things that we cannot see will continue for ever.
4 God, with his mercy, gave us this work to do, so we don’t give up. 2 But we have turned away from secret and shameful ways. We don’t use trickery, and we don’t change the teaching of God. We teach the truth plainly. This is how we show people who we are. And this is how they can know in their hearts what kind of people we are before God. 3 The Good News that we tell people may be hidden, but it is hidden only to those who are lost. 4 The ruler [ a ] of this world has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They cannot see the light of the Good News—the message about the divine greatness of Christ. Christ is the one who is exactly like God. 5 We don’t tell people about ourselves. But we tell people that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we tell them that we are your servants for Jesus. 6 God once said, “Let light shine out of the darkness!” [ b ] And this is the same God who made his light shine in our hearts to let us know that his own divine greatness is seen in the face of Christ.
7 We have this treasure from God, but we are only like clay jars that hold the treasure. This is to show that the amazing power we have is from God, not from us. 8 We have troubles all around us, but we are not defeated. We often don’t know what to do, but we don’t give up. 9 We are persecuted, but God does not leave us. We are hurt sometimes, but we are not destroyed. 10 So we constantly experience the death of Jesus in our own bodies, but this is so that the life of Jesus can also be seen in our bodies. 11 We are alive, but for Jesus we are always in danger of death, so that the life of Jesus can be seen in our bodies that die. 12 So death is working in us, but the result is that life is working in you.
13 The Scriptures say, “I believed, so I spoke.” [ c ] Our faith is like that too. We believe, and so we speak. 14 God raised the Lord Jesus from death, and we know that he will also raise us with Jesus. God will bring us together with you, and we will stand before him. 15 All these things are for you. And so the grace of God is being given to more and more people. This will bring more and more thanks to God for his glory.
16 That is why we never give up. Our physical body is becoming older and weaker, but our spirit inside us is made new every day. 17 We have small troubles for a while now, but these troubles are helping us gain an eternal glory. That eternal glory is much greater than our troubles. 18 So we think about what we cannot see, not what we see. What we see lasts only a short time, and what we cannot see will last forever.
4 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;
2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.
6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
11 For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
12 So then death worketh in us, but life in you.
13 We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;
14 Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.
15 For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
4 Therefore, since we have this ( A ) ministry, as we ( B ) received mercy, we ( C ) do not lose heart, 2 but we have renounced the ( D ) things hidden because of shame, not walking in trickery nor ( E ) distorting the word of God, but by the open proclamation of the truth ( F ) commending ourselves to every person’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if our ( G ) gospel is ( H ) veiled, it is veiled [ a ] to ( I ) those who are perishing, 4 in whose case ( J ) the god of ( K ) this [ b ] world has ( L ) blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that [ c ] they will not see the ( M ) light of the gospel of the ( N ) glory of Christ, who is the ( O ) image of God. 5 For we ( P ) do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants [ d ] on account of Jesus. 6 For God, who said, “ ( Q ) Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has ( R ) shone in our hearts to give the ( S ) Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in [ e ] ( T ) earthen containers, so that the extraordinary greatness of ( U ) the power will be of God and not from ourselves; 8 we are ( V ) afflicted in every way, but not ( W ) crushed; ( X ) perplexed, but not despairing; 9 ( Y ) persecuted, but not ( Z ) abandoned; ( AA ) struck down, but not destroyed; 10 ( AB ) always carrying around in the body the dying of Jesus, so that ( AC ) the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who live are constantly being handed over to death because of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our mortal flesh. 12 So death works in us, but life in you.
13 But having the same ( AD ) spirit of faith, according to what is written: “ ( AE ) I believed, therefore I spoke ,” we also believe, therefore we also speak, 14 knowing that He who ( AF ) raised the Lord Jesus ( AG ) will also raise us with Jesus, and will ( AH ) present us with you. 15 For all things are ( AI ) for your sakes, so that grace, having [ f ] ( AJ ) spread to more and more people, will cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.
16 Therefore we ( AK ) do not lose heart, but though our outer person is decaying, yet our ( AL ) inner person is ( AM ) being renewed day by day. 17 For our momentary, ( AN ) light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 18 while we ( AO ) look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
4 Therefore, since through God’s mercy ( A ) we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. ( B ) 2 Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; ( C ) we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. ( D ) On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience ( E ) in the sight of God. 3 And even if our gospel ( F ) is veiled, ( G ) it is veiled to those who are perishing. ( H ) 4 The god ( I ) of this age ( J ) has blinded ( K ) the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, ( L ) who is the image of God. ( M ) 5 For what we preach is not ourselves, ( N ) but Jesus Christ as Lord, ( O ) and ourselves as your servants ( P ) for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” [ a ] ( Q ) made his light shine in our hearts ( R ) to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. ( S )
7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay ( T ) to show that this all-surpassing power is from God ( U ) and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, ( V ) but not crushed; perplexed, ( W ) but not in despair; 9 persecuted, ( X ) but not abandoned; ( Y ) struck down, but not destroyed. ( Z ) 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, ( AA ) so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. ( AB ) 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, ( AC ) so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. ( AD )
13 It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” [ b ] ( AE ) Since we have that same spirit of [ c ] faith, ( AF ) we also believe and therefore speak, 14 because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead ( AG ) will also raise us with Jesus ( AH ) and present us with you to himself. ( AI ) 15 All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving ( AJ ) to overflow to the glory of God.
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. ( AK ) Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly ( AL ) we are being renewed ( AM ) day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. ( AN ) 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, ( AO ) since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
