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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.

This is why we don’t get discouraged, given that we received this ministry in the same way that we received God’s mercy. Instead, we reject secrecy and shameful actions. We don’t use deception, and we don’t tamper with God’s word. Instead, we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God by the public announcement of the truth. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are on the road to destruction. The god of this age has blinded the minds of those who don’t have faith so they couldn’t see the light of the gospel that reveals Christ’s glory. Christ is the image of God.

We don’t preach about ourselves. Instead, we preach about Jesus Christ as Lord, and we describe ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake. God said that light should shine out of the darkness. He is the same one who shone in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ.

Physical bodies and eternal glory

But we have this treasure in clay pots so that the awesome power belongs to God and doesn’t come from us. We are experiencing all kinds of trouble, but we aren’t crushed. We are confused, but we aren’t depressed. We are harassed, but we aren’t abandoned. We are knocked down, but we aren’t knocked out.

10 We always carry Jesus’ death around in our bodies so that Jesus’ life can also be seen in our bodies. 11 We who are alive are always being handed over to death for Jesus’ sake so that Jesus’ life can also be seen in our bodies that are dying. 12 So death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

13 We have the same faithful spirit as what is written in scripture: I had faith, and so I spoke.[a] We also have faith, and so we also speak. 14 We do this because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus, and he will bring us into his presence along with you. 15 All these things are for your benefit. As grace increases to benefit more and more people, it will cause gratitude to increase, which results in God’s glory.

16 So we aren’t depressed. But even if our bodies are breaking down on the outside, the person that we are on the inside is being renewed every day. 17 Our temporary minor problems are producing an eternal stockpile of glory for us that is beyond all comparison. 18 We don’t focus on the things that can be seen but on the things that can’t be seen. The things that can be seen don’t last, but the things that can’t be seen are eternal.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 4:13 Ps 116:10 (115:1 LXX)