4:1 Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.
4:2 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 every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
4:3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.
4:4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
4:5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.
4:6 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 the glory of God in the face of Christ.
4:7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
4:8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;
4:9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.
4:10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.
4:11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body.
4:12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.
4:13 It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak,
4:14 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 in his presence.
4:15 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.
4:16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.
4:17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
4:18 So 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.
4:1 Therefore having this ministry as we have been shown mercy, we do not lose heart;
4:2 But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every conscience of men before God.
4:3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled in those who are perishing,
4:4 In whom the god of this age has blinded the thoughts of the unbelievers that the illumination of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, might not shine on them.
4:5 For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus sake.
4:6 Because the God who said, Out of darkness light shall shine, is the One who shined in our hearts to illuminate the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not out of us.
4:8 We are pressed on every side but not constricted; unable to find a way out but not utterly without a way out;
4:9 Persecuted but not abandoned; cast down but not destroyed;
4:10 Always bearing about in the body the putting to death of Jesus that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
4:11 For we who are alive are always being delivered unto death for Jesus sake that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
4:12 So then death operates in us, but life in you.
4:13 And having the same spirit of faith according to that which is written, I believed, therefore I spoke, we also believe, therefore we also speak,
4:14 Knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will make us stand before Him with you.
4:15 For all things are for your sakes that the grace which has abounded through the greater number may cause the thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.
4:16 Therefore we do not lose heart; but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.
4:17 For our momentary lightness of affliction works out for us, more and more surpassingly, an eternal weight of glory,
4:18 Because we do not regard the things which are seen but the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.