2 Corinthians 4:1-18
“Therefore,
since through GOD’s MERCY we
have this ministry, we do not lose heart.
2 Rather, 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.
3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those
who are perishing.
4 The 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.
5 For what we preach is not ourselves, but JESUS CHRIST AS LORD, and
ourselves as your servants for JESUS’ sake.
6 For GOD,
WHO said, “Let LIGHT shine out of darkness,” 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.
7 But we have THIS TREASURE IN JARS OF CLAY to
show that THIS
ALL-SURPASSING POWER is from GOD and not from us.
8 We are hard pressed on every
side, but not crushed;
perplexed, but
not in despair;
9 persecuted, but not
abandoned;
struck
down, but not destroyed.
10 We always carry around in our body
the death of JESUS, so
that the life of JESUS
may also be revealed in our body.
11 For
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.
12 So then, death is at work in us,
but LIFE is
at work in you.
13 It is written:
‘I
believed; therefore I have spoken.’
Since we have that same spirit of FAITH, we also
believe and therefore speak,
14 because 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.
15 All 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.
16 Therefore we do not lose
heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are
being renewed day by day.
17 For our light and momentary
troubles are achieving for us an ETERNAL GLORY that far outweighs them all.
18 So 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.”
