2 Corinthians 4
Revised Standard Version
Treasure in Clay Jars
4 Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God,[a] we do not lose heart. 2 We have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways; we refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. 4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the likeness of God. 5 For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants[b] for Jesus’ sake. 6 For it is the God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11 For while we live we are always being given up to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So death is at work in us, but life in you.
13 Since we have the same spirit of faith as he had who wrote, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we too believe, and so we speak, 14 knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. 15 For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.
Living by Faith
16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed every day. 17 For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 because we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen; for the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 4:1 Greek as we have received mercy
- 2 Corinthians 4:5 Or slaves
2 Corinthians 4
Mounce Reverse Interlinear New Testament
4 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. 2 But alla we have renounced apeipon · ho shameful aischunē hidden kryptos deeds . · ho We do not mē 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. 3 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, 4 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 mē 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. 5 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. 6 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.
7 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 mē come from ek us hēmeis. 8 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; 9 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 mē 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 mē be seen blepō is eternal aiōnios.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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