2 Corinthians 4
Common English Bible
4 This is why we don’t get discouraged, given that we received this ministry in the same way that we received God’s mercy. 2 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. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are on the road to destruction. 4 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.
5 We don’t preach about ourselves. Instead, we preach about Jesus Christ as Lord, and we describe ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake. 6 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
7 But we have this treasure in clay pots so that the awesome power belongs to God and doesn’t come from us. 8 We are experiencing all kinds of trouble, but we aren’t crushed. We are confused, but we aren’t depressed. 9 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
- 2 Corinthians 4:13 Ps 116:10 (115:1 LXX)
2 Corinthians 4
New International Version
Present Weakness and Resurrection Life
4 Therefore, since through God’s mercy(A) we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.(B) 2 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. 3 And even if our gospel(F) is veiled,(G) it is veiled to those who are perishing.(H) 4 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) 5 For what we preach is not ourselves,(N) but Jesus Christ as Lord,(O) and ourselves as your servants(P) for Jesus’ sake. 6 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)
7 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. 8 We are hard pressed on every side,(V) but not crushed; perplexed,(W) but not in despair; 9 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
- 2 Corinthians 4:6 Gen. 1:3
- 2 Corinthians 4:13 Psalm 116:10 (see Septuagint)
- 2 Corinthians 4:13 Or Spirit-given
2 Corinto 4
Ang Pulong Sang Dios
Malahalon nga Butang sa Sulod sang Kolon
4 Tungod sa kaluoy sang Dios, ginpili niya kami nga magbalita sining bag-o nga paagi nga mangin matarong ang mga tawo, gani wala kami nagakaluya. 2 Ginsikway namon ang makahuluya nga mga butang nga ginahimo sa sekreto. Wala kami nagadaya sa mga tawo kag wala man namon ginaliwat ang kahulugan sang pulong sang Dios. Nahibaluan gid sang mga tawo nga deretso kag indi sa sekreto ang amon pagsugid sang kamatuoran, kag nakita man ini sang Dios. 3 Pero kon may mga tawo nga indi makaintiendi sang Maayong Balita nga amon ginasaysay, ina amo ang mga tawo nga nagakalawala. 4 Indi sila magtuo sa Maayong Balita tungod nga ang ila mga hunahuna gindulman ni Satanas nga amo ang nagapakadios sa sining kalibutan. Ginbulag niya sila agod indi sila masanagan sang Maayong Balita parte sa gahom ni Cristo nga amo gid ang kaangay sang Dios. 5 Wala kami nagawali parte sa amon kaugalingon kundi parte kay Jesu-Cristo, nga siya ang Ginoo. Nagaalagad kami sa inyo para kay Jesus. 6 Ang Dios nga nagsiling, “Halin sa kadulom magasiga ang kasanag,” amo man ang nagpasanag sang amon mga hunahuna agod mahangpan namon kon ano ang gahom nga iya ginpakita paagi kay Cristo.
7 Kami pareho gid lang sa kolon nga ginbutangan sining malahalon nga butang, agod mahibaluan sang mga tawo nga ang gahom nga indi matupungan nga ari sa amon mga lawas nga maluya indi halin sa amon, kundi sa Dios. 8 Sa amon pagwali permi kami nagaantos, pero wala gid man kami nadaog sang mga nagakontra sa amon. Kon kaisa nagalibog ang amon ulo, pero wala gid kami nadulaan sang paglaom. 9 Madamo ang nagahandom sa pagpatay sa amon, pero wala gid kami pagpabay-i sang Dios. Matuod nga ginasakit nila kami, pero sa kaluoy sang Dios buhi pa kami gihapon. 10 Permi kami nabutang sa peligro sang kamatayon pareho sang natabo kay Jesus, agod nga paagi sa amon kabuhi makita sang tanan ang kabuhi ni Jesus. 11 Ang amon kabuhi permi sa peligro sang kamatayon tungod sang amon pag-alagad kay Jesus, agod nga paagi sa sining lawas namon nga may kamatayon makita sang tanan ang kabuhi ni Jesus. 12 Gani tungod ginawali namon si Cristo mahimo nga patyon kami, pero amo man ini ang nagadala sa inyo sang kabuhi nga wala sing katapusan.
13 Indi bala nagasiling ang Kasulatan, “Nagtuo ako, gani naghambal ako.”[a] Kag amo man ini ang amon ginahimo, ginahambal namon ang amon ginatuohan. 14 Kay nahibaluan namon nga ang Dios nga nagbanhaw kay Ginoong Jesus amo man ang magabanhaw sa amon, pareho sang iya pagbanhaw kay Jesus, kag dal-on niya kami kaupod ninyo sa iya atubangan. 15 Ang tanan namon nga mga pag-antos para sa inyo kaayuhan, agod samtang nagadamo ang mga tawo nga nagabaton sang bugay sang Dios, magadamo man ang mga tawo nga magapasalamat sa iya, kag sa sini madayaw siya.
16 Amo ina ang kabangdanan nga wala kami nagakaluya sa pag-alagad sa Dios. Bisan ining amon mga lawas nagaamat-amat luya, ang amon espiritu nagapadayon nga nagabakod. 17 Ang mga kabudlayan nga amon ginaantos diri sa kalibutan umalagi lang kag indi gid mabug-at. Kag tungod sang amon mga pag-antos, may ginatigana ang Dios nga balos para sa amon nga wala sing katapusan kag indi gid makatupong sa amon pag-antos. 18 Kay wala namon ginapasulabi ang mga butang nga amon makita diri sa kalibutan, kundi ginapasulabi namon ang mga butang nga indi makita. Kay ang mga butang nga makita umalagi lang, pero ang mga butang nga indi makita wala sing katapusan.
Footnotes
2 Corinthians 4
New King James Version
The Light of Christ’s Gospel
4 Therefore, since we have this ministry, (A)as we have received mercy, we (B)do not lose heart. 2 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. 3 But even if our gospel is veiled, (D)it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 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. 5 (I)For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and (J)ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. 6 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
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, (M)that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. 8 We are (N)hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 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
- 2 Corinthians 4:2 adulterating the word of God
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
Hiligaynon Bible (Ang Pulong Sang Dios) Copyright © 1996, 2006 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

