II Corinthians 4
4
The Light of Christ’s Gospel
1Therefore, since we have this ministry, #1 Cor. 7:25as we have received mercy, we #Luke 18:1; 2 Cor. 4:16; Gal. 6:9; Eph. 3:13; 2 Thess. 3:13do not lose heart. 2But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth #2 Cor. 5:11commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. 3But even if our gospel is veiled, #(1 Cor. 1:18); 2 Cor. 2:15it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4whose minds #John 12:31; (Eph. 6:12)the god of this age #John 12:40has blinded, who do not believe, lest #(2 Cor. 3:8, 9)the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, #(John 1:18); Phil. 2:6; Col. 1:15; Heb. 1:3who is the image of God, should shine on them. 5#1 Cor. 1:13For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and #1 Cor. 9:19ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. 6For it is the God #Gen. 1:3who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has #Is. 9:2; Mal. 4:2; Luke 1:78; 2 Pet. 1:19shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Cast Down but Unconquered
7But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, #Judg. 7:2; 1 Cor. 2:5that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. 8We are #2 Cor. 1:8; 7:5hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9persecuted, but not #Ps. 129:2; (Heb. 13:5)forsaken; #Ps. 37:24struck down, but not destroyed— 10#Phil. 3:10always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, #Rom. 8:17that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11For we who live #Rom. 8:36are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12So then death is working in us, but life in you.
13And since we have #2 Pet. 1:1the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, #Ps. 116:10“I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also believe and therefore speak, 14knowing that #(Rom. 8:11)He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. 15For #Col. 1:24all things are for your sakes, that #1 Cor. 9:19; 2 Cor. 1:11grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.
Seeing the Invisible
16Therefore we #2 Cor. 4:1; Gal. 6:9do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is #(Is. 40:29, 31; Col. 3:10)being renewed day by day. 17For #Matt. 5:12; Rom. 8:18; 1 Pet. 1:6our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18#Rom. 8:24; (2 Cor. 5:7; Heb. 11:1, 13)while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
2 Corinthians 4
4
The Light of the Gospel
1Therefore, since we have this ministry because we were shown mercy, # Mt 5:7; Mk 5:19; Lk 1:50 we do not give up. # 2Th 3:13 2Instead, we have renounced shameful secret things, not walking # 2Jn 6 in deceit or distorting God’s message, # 2Co 2:17; 2Tm 2:15; Heb 4:12 but commending ourselves to every person’s conscience in God’s sight by an open display of the truth. # 2Co 5:11-12; 6:7; 7:14 3But if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4In their case, the god of this age # Lk 16:8 has blinded the minds of the unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, # Or the gospel of the glorious Christ, or the glorious gospel of Christ # Mk 10:37 who is the image of God. # Gn 1:27 5For we are not proclaiming ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, # Php 2:11 and ourselves as your slaves because of Jesus. 6For God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” # Gn 1:3; Mt 6:23 has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge # Php 3:8; 1Jn 4:8 of God’s glory # Mk 10:37; Lk 9:32; Jn 17:24; 2Co 3:18; 2Pt 3:18 in the face of Jesus Christ.
Treasure in Clay Jars
7Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power # Mk 5:30; Lk 1:35; 6:19; Ac 19:11; 2Co 13:4; Rv 11:17 may be from God and not from us. 8We are pressured in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; 9we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed. 10We always carry the death of Jesus # Lk 9:23; Rm 5:6-8; 6:5-8; 8:34-36; Gl 6:17 in our body, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11For we who live are always given over to death # Mt 10:21; Jn 8:51; Php 3:10 because of Jesus, so that Jesus’ life may also be revealed in our mortal flesh. 12So death works in us, but life in you. 13And since we have the same spirit of faith in keeping with what is written, I believed, therefore I spoke, # Ps 116:10 LXX # Ps 116:10 LXX we also believe, and therefore speak. 14We know that the One who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus # 1Th 4:14 and present us with you. 15Indeed, everything is for your benefit, so that grace, extended through more and more people, may cause thanksgiving # 2Co 9:11 to increase to God’s glory.
16Therefore we do not give up. # 2Th 3:13 Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person # Rm 7:22 is being renewed day by day. 17For our momentary light affliction # See note at 2Co 1:4. # Gl 6:2 is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. # Lk 24:26; 1Pt 5:1,4 18So we do not focus on what is seen, # Rm 8:24 but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
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