2 Corinthians 4
4
Present Weakness and Resurrection Life
1Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. 3And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”#4:6 Gen. 1:3 made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.
7But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. 12So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.
13It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.”#4:13 Psalm 116:10 (see Septuagint) Since we have that same spirit of#4:13 Or Spirit-given faith, we also believe and therefore speak, 14because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. 15All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.
16Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
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The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®
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2 Corinthians 4
4
1So then, since God in his mercy has given us this new way of relating to him, we don't give up. 2But we have given up secret, shameful acts. We don't behave in deceitful ways and we don't distort the word of God. We demonstrate who we are by revealing the truth before God so everybody can decide in their own minds. 3Even if the good news we share is veiled, it is veiled to those who are dying. 4The god of this world has blinded the minds of those who don't trust in God. They can't see the light of the good news of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
5We are not promoting#4:5. Literally, “preaching.” ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord. In fact we are your servants for Jesus' sake. 6For God who said, “Let light shine out of the darkness,”#4:6. Quoting Genesis 1:3. shone in our minds to illuminate the knowledge of God's glory in the face of Jesus Christ. 7But we have this treasure in clay jars, to show that this supreme power comes from God and not from ourselves.
8We are attacked from every direction, but we are not crushed. We are at a loss as to what to do, but never in despair. 9We are persecuted, but never abandoned by God. We are knocked down, but not dead yet! 10In our bodies we always share in the death of Jesus, so that we can also demonstrate the life of Jesus in our bodies. 11While we live we are always under the threat of death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus may be revealed in our mortal bodies. 12As a result, we are facing death so that you may have life!
13Since we have the same spirit of trust in God that Scripture refers to when it says, “I trusted in God, and so I spoke out,”#4:13. Quoting Psalms 116:10. we also trust in God and speak out for him. 14We know that God who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus, and will bring us into his presence with you. 15It's all for you! As God's grace reaches many more, thankfulness to God will be even greater, to his glory.
16So we don't give up. Even though our physical bodies are falling apart, our inner selves are being renewed daily. 17These trivial troubles we have only last for a little while, but they produce for us an ever-increasing degree of glory. 18We don't concern ourselves with what can be seen, for we look forward to what can't be seen. What we see is temporary, but what we can't see is eternal.
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Dr. Jonathan Gallagher. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Version 4.3. For corrections send email to jonathangallagherfbv@gmail.com