¹⁵ So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. ¹⁶ But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, ^(A)to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. ¹⁷ I will ^[a]deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, ^(B)to whom I ^[b]now send you, ^18 (C)to open their eyes, in order ^(D)to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, ^(E)that they may receive forgiveness of sins and ^(F)an inheritance among those who are ^(G)sanctified^[c] by faith in Me.’

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.

¹³ He has delivered us from ^(A)the power of darkness ^(B)and ^[a]conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, ^14 (C)in whom we have redemption ^[b]through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.