Proclaiming Jesus Christ as Lord

Because of this, since we[a] have this ministry, just as we have been shown mercy, we do not lose heart, but we have renounced shameful hidden things, not behaving with craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but with the open proclamation of the truth commending ourselves to every person’s conscience before God. But if indeed our gospel is veiled, it is veiled among those who are perishing, among whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, so that they would not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not proclaim ourselves, but Christ Jesus[b] as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves for the sake of Jesus. For God who said, “Light will shine out of darkness,”[c] is the one who has shined in our hearts for the enlightenment of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.[d]

Treasure in Earthenware Jars

But we have this treasure in earthenware jars, in order that the extraordinary degree of the power may be from God and not from us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying around the death of Jesus in our body, in order that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are continually being handed over to death because of Jesus, in order that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our mortal flesh. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life in you. 13 But because we[e] have the same spirit of faith in accordance with what is written, “I believed, therefore I spoke,”[f] we also believe, therefore we also speak, 14 because we[g] know that the one who raised Jesus[h] will also raise us together with Jesus and present us together with you. 15 For all these things are for your sake[i], in order that the grace that is increasing through the many may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.

16 Therefore we do not lose heart, but even if our outer person is being destroyed, yet our inner person is being renewed day after day. 17 For our momentary light affliction is producing in us an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure and proportion[j], 18 because[k] we are not looking at what is seen, but what is not seen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is not seen is eternal.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 4:1 Here “since” is supplied as a component of the participle (“have”) which is understood as causal
  2. 2 Corinthians 4:5 Some manuscripts have “Jesus Christ”
  3. 2 Corinthians 4:6 An allusion to Gen 1:3
  4. 2 Corinthians 4:6 Some manuscripts have “in the face of Jesus Christ”
  5. 2 Corinthians 4:13 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“have”) which is understood as causal
  6. 2 Corinthians 4:13 A quotation from Ps 116:10
  7. 2 Corinthians 4:14 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“know”) which is understood as causal
  8. 2 Corinthians 4:14 Some manuscripts have “the Lord Jesus”
  9. 2 Corinthians 4:15 Literally “for the sake of you”
  10. 2 Corinthians 4:17 Literally “according to an extraordinary degree to an extraordinary degree”
  11. 2 Corinthians 4:18 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the causal genitive absolute participle (“looking at”)

Therefore dia houtos since we have echō · ho this houtos ministry diakonia, just as kathōs we have received mercy eleeō, we are not ou discouraged. But alla we have renounced apeipon · ho shameful aischunē hidden kryptos deeds . · ho We do not practice peripateō cunning panourgia, nor mēde do we tamper doloō with the ho word logos of ho God theos, but alla by the ho open declaration phanerōsis of ho truth alētheia we commend synistēmi ourselves heautou to pros every pas person' s anthrōpos conscience syneidēsis in the sight enōpion of · ho God theos. But de even kai if ei our hēmeis gospel euangelion is eimi veiled kalyptō, · ho it is eimi veiled kalyptō only to en those ho who are perishing apollymi, in en whose hos case the ho god theos of ho this houtos world aiōn has blinded typhloō the ho minds noēma of the ho unbelievers apistos, so eis that they cannot see augazō the ho light phōtismos of the ho gospel euangelion of the ho glory doxa of ho Christ Christos, who hos is eimi the image eikōn of ho God theos. For gar we do kēryssō not ou proclaim kēryssō ourselves heautou, but alla Jesus Iēsous Christ Christos as Lord kyrios, and de ourselves heautou as your hymeis slaves for dia Jesus’ Iēsous sake. For hoti it is the ho God theos who ho said legō, “ Out of ek darkness skotos light phōs will shine lampō,” who hos has flooded lampō · ho our hēmeis hearts kardia with pros the light phōtismos of the ho glorious doxa knowledge gnōsis · ho of ho God theos in en the face prosōpon of Christ Christos.

But de we have echō · ho this houtos treasure thēsauros in en clay ostrakinos pots skeuos, so that hina the ho surpassing hyperbolē · ho power dynamis belongs eimi to ho God theos and kai does not come from ek us hēmeis. We are under pressure thlibō from en every pas side , but alla not ou crushed stenochōreō; bewildered aporeō, but alla not ou driven to despair exaporeō; persecuted diōkō, but alla not ou abandoned enkataleipō; knocked kataballō down , but alla not ou knocked apollymi out ; 10 always pantote carrying about peripherō in en the ho body sōma the ho dying nekrōsis of ho Jesus Iēsous, so that hina the ho life zōē of ho Jesus Iēsous may phaneroō also kai be displayed phaneroō in en · ho our hēmeis bodies sōma. 11 For gar we hēmeis who ho live zaō are paradidōmi constantly aei being handed over paradidōmi to eis death thanatos for the sake dia of Jesus Iēsous, so that hina the ho life zōē of ho Jesus Iēsous also kai may be manifested phaneroō in en · ho our hēmeis mortal thnētos flesh sarx. 12 Thus hōste · ho death thanatos is at work energeō in en us hēmeis, · ho but de life zōē in en you hymeis.

13 But de since we have echō the ho same autos spirit pneuma of ho faith pistis as that kata which ho stands written graphō, “ I believed pisteuō; therefore dio I spoke laleō,” we hēmeis too kai believe pisteuō, and kai thus dio we speak laleō, 14 knowing oida that hoti the ho one who raised egeirō the ho Lord kyrios Jesus Iēsous will raise egeirō us hēmeis also kai with syn Jesus Iēsous and kai bring paristēmi us, together with syn you hymeis, before him. 15 · ho For gar all pas these things are for dia your hymeis sake, so that hina as · ho grace charis extends pleonazō to dia · ho more and more polys people , it may increase perisseuō · ho thanksgiving eucharistia to eis the ho glory doxa of ho God theos. 16 So dio we are not ou discouraged, but alla even kai if ei · ho our hēmeis outward exō man anthrōpos is wasting away diaphtheirō, · ho our hēmeis inward esō man is being renewed anakainoō day hēmera by kai day hēmera. 17 · ho For gar our hēmeis momentary parautika lightness elaphros of ho affliction thlipsis is producing katergazomai for us hēmeis an eternal aiōnios weight baros of glory doxa far kata beyond hyperbolē all eis comparison hyperbolē, 18 as skopeō we hēmeis look skopeō not on skopeō what ho can be seen blepō, but alla on the ho unseen mē blepō; for gar what ho can be seen blepō is temporary proskairos, but de what ho cannot be seen blepō is eternal aiōnios.