Keraia
Pauline Epistles

2 Corinthians 4

The Light of the Gospel

1Therefore, since God in His mercy has given us this ministry, we do not lose heart.

1On account of this, having this ministry, just as we received mercy, we do not grow fainthearted.

2Instead, we have renounced secret and shameful ways. We do not practice deceit, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by open proclamation of the truth, we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.

2But we renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor distorting the word of God, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every conscience of men before God.

3And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.

3But if indeed our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those perishing,

4The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

4in whom the god of this age blinded the minds of the unbelieving, so as not to shine forth the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

5For we do not proclaim ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.

5For we do not proclaim ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants on account of Jesus.

6For 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 the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

6For God is the One having said, “Light will shine out of darkness,” who shone in our hearts for the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Treasure in Jars of Clay

7Now we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this surpassingly great power is from God and not from us.

7Now we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the supereminence of the power may be from God and not from us,

8We are hard pressed on all sides, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;

8being pressed in every way but not being crushed, being perplexed but not despairing,

9persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.

9being persecuted but not being forsaken, being struck down but not being 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.

10always carrying around the death of Jesus in the body, so that the life of Jesus also may be revealed in our body.

11For we who are alive are always consigned to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our mortal body.

11For we the living are always being delivered to death on account of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our mortal flesh.

12So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

12So then, death works in us, but life in you.

13And in keeping with what is written, “I believed, therefore I have spoken,” we who have the same spirit of faith also believe and therefore speak,

13But having the same spirit of faith according to that having been written: “I believed, therefore I spoke,” we also believe, and therefore we speak,

14knowing that the One who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in His presence.

14knowing that the One having raised the Lord Jesus also will raise us with Jesus and will present us with you.

15All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is extending to more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow, to the glory of God.

15For all things are on account of you, so that the grace having increased on account of more people may make abundant the thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

16Therefore we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, yet our inner self is being renewed day by day.

16Therefore we do not grow fainthearted; but if also our outer man decays, yet our inner one is renewed day and day.

17For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory that is far beyond comparison.

17For the momentary lightness of our affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory, from supereminence to supereminence,

18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

18in our not looking at the things being seen, but the things not being seen. For the things being seen are temporary, but the things not being seen are eternal.