2 Corinthians 4:7-15

New King James Version

Cast Down but Unconquered

⁷But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, ^(A)that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. ⁸We are ^(B)hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹persecuted, but not ^(C)forsaken; ^(D)struck down, but not destroyed— ¹⁰^(E)always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, ^(F)that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. ¹¹For we who live ^(G)are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. ¹²So then death is working in us, but life in you.

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

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Isaiah 64:4-65:2

New King James Version

⁴For since the beginning of the world
^(A)Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear,
Nor has the eye seen any God besides You,
Who acts for the one who waits for Him.
⁵You meet him who rejoices and does righteousness,
Who remembers You in Your ways.
You are indeed angry, for we have sinned—
^(B)In these ways we continue;
And we need to be saved.

⁶But we are all like an unclean thing,
And all ^(C)our righteousnesses are like ^[a]filthy rags;
We all ^(D)fade as a leaf,
And our iniquities, like the wind,
Have taken us away.
⁷And there is no one who calls on Your name,
Who stirs himself up to take hold of You;
For You have hidden Your face from us,
And have ^[b]consumed us because of our iniquities.

⁸But now, O Lord,
You are our Father;
We are the clay, and You our ^(E)potter;
And all we are the work of Your hand.
⁹Do not be furious, O Lord,
Nor remember iniquity forever;
Indeed, please look—we all are Your people!
¹⁰Your holy cities are a wilderness,
Zion is a wilderness,
Jerusalem a desolation.
¹¹Our holy and beautiful ^[c]temple,
Where our fathers praised You,
Is burned up with fire;
And all ^(F)our pleasant things ^[d]are laid waste.
¹²^(G)Will You restrain Yourself because of these things, O Lord?
^(H)Will You ^[e]hold Your peace, and afflict us very severely?

The Righteousness of God’s Judgment

65 “I was ^(I)sought by those who did not ask for Me;
I was found by those who did not seek Me.
I said, ‘Here I am, here I am,’
To a nation that ^(J)was not called by My name.
²^(K)I have stretched out My hands all day long to a ^(L)rebellious people,
Who ^(M)walk in a way that is not good,
According to their own thoughts;