福音的光

所以,我们既然得了这服事的工作,正如我们蒙了怜悯,我们就不丧胆; 相反,把那些可耻的隐秘之事弃绝了;不以诡诈行事,也不歪曲神的话语[a];反而藉着显明真理,在神面前把自己推荐给每个人的良心。 但如果我们的福音真的被遮盖了,也是在那些正灭亡的人中被遮盖的。 对于他们,这世代的神把这些不信之人的心眼弄瞎了,使他们不能洞察基督荣耀的福音之光。基督就是神的形像。 实际上,我们不是传扬自己,而是传扬主耶稣基督[b],并且为了耶稣的缘故,我们自己做了你们的奴仆; 因为那吩咐“要有光从黑暗里照耀出来”的神,已经照耀了我们的心,为要发出神荣耀的知识之光——这光就在耶稣基督的脸上。

在瓦器中的宝贝

不过我们有这宝物在瓦器里,为要显明这极大的能力是出于神,不是出于我们。 我们处处受患难,却不被压碎;心里困惑,却没有绝望; 受逼迫,却不被撇弃;被打倒,却没有灭亡。 10 我们身上总是带着耶稣的死,好让耶稣的生命也在我们身上显明出来。 11 的确,我们这些活着的人,为了耶稣的缘故,总是被置于死地,好让耶稣的生命也显明在我们这会死的肉体上。 12 这样,死亡在我们里面做工,而生命却在你们里面做工。 13 照着经上所记的:“我信,故我说”[c],我们既然有同一个信仰的灵,我们也就信,所以也就说, 14 因为我们知道:使主耶稣复活的那一位,也要使我们与耶稣一同复活[d],并且使我们和你们一起站在他面前。 15 的确,这一切都是为了你们的缘故,好让恩典藉着更多的人而增多,使感谢充实满溢,归于神的荣耀。

16 因此我们不丧胆。即使我们外在的人渐渐衰朽,我们内在的人还是日日被更新。 17 原来我们这暂时、轻微的患难,正为我们带来极重无比、永恒的荣耀。 18 我们所注重的不是看得见的,而是看不见的;因为看得见的是暂时的,看不见的却是永恒的。

Footnotes

  1. 哥林多后书 4:2 神的话语——或译作“神的道”。
  2. 哥林多后书 4:5 传扬主耶稣基督——或译作“传扬耶稣基督是主”。
  3. 哥林多后书 4:13 《诗篇》116:10。
  4. 哥林多后书 4:14 也要使我们与耶稣一同复活——有古抄本作“也要使我们藉着耶稣复活”。

Present Weakness and Resurrection Life

Therefore, since through God’s mercy(A) we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.(B) Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways;(C) we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God.(D) On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience(E) in the sight of God. And even if our gospel(F) is veiled,(G) it is veiled to those who are perishing.(H) The god(I) of this age(J) has blinded(K) the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ,(L) who is the image of God.(M) For what we preach is not ourselves,(N) but Jesus Christ as Lord,(O) and ourselves as your servants(P) for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”[a](Q) made his light shine in our hearts(R) to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.(S)

But we have this treasure in jars of clay(T) to show that this all-surpassing power is from God(U) and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side,(V) but not crushed; perplexed,(W) but not in despair; persecuted,(X) but not abandoned;(Y) struck down, but not destroyed.(Z) 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus,(AA) so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.(AB) 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake,(AC) 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.(AD)

13 It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.”[b](AE) Since we have that same spirit of[c] faith,(AF) we also believe and therefore speak, 14 because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead(AG) will also raise us with Jesus(AH) and present us with you to himself.(AI) 15 All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving(AJ) to overflow to the glory of God.

16 Therefore we do not lose heart.(AK) Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly(AL) we are being renewed(AM) day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.(AN) 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen,(AO) since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 4:6 Gen. 1:3
  2. 2 Corinthians 4:13 Psalm 116:10 (see Septuagint)
  3. 2 Corinthians 4:13 Or Spirit-given

The Light of Christ’s Gospel

Therefore, since we have this ministry, (A)as we have received mercy, we (B)do not lose heart. But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor [a]handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth (C)commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. But even if our gospel is veiled, (D)it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds (E)the god of this age (F)has blinded, who do not believe, lest (G)the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, (H)who is the image of God, should shine on them. (I)For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and (J)ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God (K)who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has (L)shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Cast Down but Unconquered

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, (M)that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are (N)hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not (O)forsaken; (P)struck down, but not destroyed— 10 (Q)always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, (R)that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11 For we who live (S)are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death is working in us, but life in you.

13 And since we have (T)the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, (U)“I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also believe and therefore speak, 14 knowing that (V)He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. 15 For (W)all things are for your sakes, that (X)grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.

Seeing the Invisible

16 Therefore we (Y)do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is (Z)being renewed day by day. 17 For (AA)our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 (AB)while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 4:2 adulterating the word of God