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2 Corinthians 4
Common English Bible
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
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
Kehillah in Corinth II 4
Orthodox Jewish Bible
Kehillah in Corinth II 4
Orthodox Jewish Bible
4 Therefore, since it is by the chesed of Hashem that we have this sherut, this kehunah, [2C 3:16] we are undaunted. [TEHILLIM 18:45; YESHAYAH 40:31]
2 But we renounced the hidden things of bushah (shame), not going about with remiyah (deceit) nor falsifying the dvar Hashem. Rather by the manifestation of HaEmes we present ourselves to every man’s matzpun in the sight of Hashem. [2C 2:17; 1Th 2:5]
3 But if indeed our Besuras HaGeulah is nistar (hidden), it is nistar among the ones perishing, [2C 1:18]
4 In whose case the g-d of the Olam Hazeh (Ep 2:2) blinded the minds of the ones without emunah, so the illumination of the Besuras HaGeulah of the kavod of Moshiach, who is the demut of Hashem, [Co 1:15; MJ 1:3] would not shine on them.
5 For we preach not ourselves but Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Adoneinu Yehoshua and ourselves as your avadim (servants) for Yehoshua’s sake. [2C 1:24]
6 Because Hashem is the One who said,"Let Ohr shine out of choshech" [BERESHIS 1:3; YESHAYAH 9:2] who shone in our levavot for an illumination of the da’as of the kavod of Hashem in the face of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua. [2C 3:18]
7 Now we have this otzar (treasure) in earthen vessels [2C 5:1] that the excellence of the ko’ach may be of Hashem and not of us. [IYOV 4:19; YESHAYAH 64:8; SHOFETIM 7:2]
8 Being oppressed on every side [2C 1:8; 7;5] but not being crushed, being perplexed but not in ye’ush (despair, atzvut),
9 Being persecuted but not forsaken, being cast down but not destroyed, [TEHILLIM 37:24; MISHLE 24:16]
10 Always bearing about the dying of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach in my basar that also the Chayyim of Moshiach in geviyyateinu might be manifested. [BERESHIS 47:18; TEHILLIM 16:9-10; IYOV 19:25-27; YESHAYAH 53:11]
11 For always we, the ones living, are being given over to mavet because of Moshiach [Ro 8:36; 1C 15:31] that also the Chayyim of Moshiach may be manifested in our mortal basar.
12 So then Mavet works in us but Chayyim in you.
13 And having the same Ruach Hakodesh of emunah that is in accordance with the Kitvei Hakodesh, HE’EMANITI KI ADABER ("I believed, therefore I speak " TEHILLIM 116:10), we both believed and therefore we speak,
14 Having da’as that the One who made to stand up alive Adoneinu Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua will make us also with Yehoshua stand up alive and will present us with you. [Ro 8:11; 1C 6:14; 15:15,20]
15 For all things are because of you [2C 1:3-6] that the Chen v’Chesed Hashem, having increased through the many, may increase the hodayah (thanksgiving) to the kavod of Hashem. [1:6]
16 Therefore we are undaunted and do not lose chozek (strength). For, indeed, even if our outward man is becoming old and atrophied, yet our inward man is yom yom being renewed. [Ep 3:16; Ps 18:45; 103:5; Isa 40:31]
17 For our present momentary tzoros is preparing us for an eternal weight of kavod (glory) utterly beyond measure, [TEHILLIM 30:5; Ro 8:17-18]
18 For while we are not looking at the visible things but the invisible; [Co 1:16; MJ 11:1,3] for the things visible are zemanniyim (temporary) but the things invisible are for l’olamim.
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Orthodox Jewish Bible (OJB)
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