3-4 If our Message is obscure to anyone, it’s not because we’re holding back in any way. No, it’s because these other people are looking or going the wrong way and refuse to give it serious attention. All they have eyes for is the fashionable god of darkness. They think he can give them what they want, and that they won’t have to bother believing a Truth they can’t see. They’re stone-blind to the dayspring brightness of the Message that shines with Christ, who gives us the best picture of God we’ll ever get.

5-6 Remember, our Message is not about ourselves; we’re proclaiming Jesus Christ, the Master. All we are is messengers, errand runners from Jesus for you. It started when God said, “Light up the darkness!” and our lives filled up with light as we saw and understood God in the face of Christ, all bright and beautiful.

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And even if our gospel(A) is veiled,(B) it is veiled to those who are perishing.(C) The god(D) of this age(E) has blinded(F) the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ,(G) who is the image of God.(H) For what we preach is not ourselves,(I) but Jesus Christ as Lord,(J) and ourselves as your servants(K) for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”[a](L) made his light shine in our hearts(M) to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.(N)

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 4:6 Gen. 1:3

But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.

For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

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