2 Corinthians 4

The Light of the Gospel

¹Therefore, since we have this ministry because we were shown mercy, ^a we do not give up. ^{b 2}Instead, we have renounced secret and shameful things, not acting ^c deceitfully or distorting the word of God, ^d but commending ourselves before God to everyone’s conscience by an open display of the truth. ^{e 3}But if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. ⁴In their case, the god of this age ^f has blinded the minds of the unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, ^g,^h who is the image of God. ^{i 5}For we are not proclaiming ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, ^j and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’s sake. ⁶For God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” ^k has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge ^l of God’s glory ^m in the face of Jesus Christ.

Treasure in Clay Jars

⁷Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power ⁿ may be from God and not from us. ⁸We are afflicted 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 ^o in our body, so that the life of Jesus may also be displayed in our body. ¹¹For we who live are always being given over to death ^p for Jesus’s sake, so that Jesus’s life may also be displayed in our mortal flesh. ¹²So then, death is at work 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,^q,^r we also believe, and therefore speak. ¹⁴For we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus ^s and present us with you. ¹⁵Indeed, everything is for your benefit so that, as grace extends through more and more people, it may cause thanksgiving ^t to increase to the glory of God.

¹⁶Therefore we do not give up. ^u Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person ^v is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷For our momentary light affliction ^w is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. ^{x 18}So we do not focus on what is seen, ^y but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.