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So We Don’t Lose Heart In This Ministry Or Its Reception; God Is Shining Through Us

For this reason, having this ministry even-as[a] we received-mercy, we do not lose-heart. But we renounced the hidden things of [b] shame, not walking in craftiness[c], nor handling-deceitfully[d] the word of God, but by the open-disclosure of the truth, commending[e] ourselves to every conscience of mankind[f] in the sight of God. And if indeed our good-news is veiled, it is veiled in the ones perishing, in whose case the god of this age blinded the minds of the unbelievers so that they might not see[g] the illumination of the good-news of the glory of Christ— Who is the image of God. For we are not proclaiming ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves for the sake of Jesus, because God, the One having said “Light will shine out of darkness”, is He Who shined in our hearts for[h] the illumination of [i] the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

God Is Making Life Known Through Clay Vessels Handed Over To Death

But[j] we have this treasure in vessels made-of-clay, in order that the excess[k] of the power may be God’s and not from us— in every way being afflicted[l] but not restrained[m], being perplexed but not utterly-perplexed, being persecuted but not forsaken, being struck down but not perishing; 10 at-all-times carrying-around in our body the dying[n] of Jesus in order that the life of Jesus may also be made-evident[o] in our body. 11 For we the ones living are always being handed-over to death for the sake of Jesus, in order that the life of Jesus may also be made-evident in our mortal flesh. 12 So then, death is at-work in us, but life in you.

But We Believe And Speak Because We Know God Will Raise Us Up With Jesus

13 But having the same spirit[p] of faith in accordance with the thing having been written, “I believed, therefore I spoke” [Ps 116:10]— we also believe, therefore we also speak, 14 knowing that the One having raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus, and will present us with you. 15 For all things are for your sakes— in order that grace, having increased through the more people, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.

And Our Affliction Is Producing an Eternal Weight of Glory For Us In Heaven

16 Therefore we do not lose-heart. But even though our outer person is being destroyed[q], nevertheless our inner person is being renewed day in and day out. 17 For the momentary lightness of our affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory extremely beyond measure, 18 while we are not looking-for[r] the things being seen, but the things not being seen. For the things being seen are temporary, but the things not being seen are eternal.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 4:1 That is, as a gift of His grace.
  2. 2 Corinthians 4:2 That is, proceeding from shameful motives; or, resulting in shame when they become known. It is failure to attain hidden self-focused motives that causes us to lose heart.
  3. 2 Corinthians 4:2 Or, trickery. That is, using any means to gain our end.
  4. 2 Corinthians 4:2 Or, adulterating, distorting, falsifying.
  5. 2 Corinthians 4:2 Or, presenting.
  6. 2 Corinthians 4:2 That is, every individual conscience of all people with whom we come in contact.
  7. 2 Corinthians 4:4 Or, so that the illumination of the good-news of the glory of Christ might not shine-forth on them.
  8. 2 Corinthians 4:6 That is, to create in us.
  9. 2 Corinthians 4:6 That is, consisting of; or, produced by.
  10. 2 Corinthians 4:7 Paul now turns to the external causes of losing heart.
  11. 2 Corinthians 4:7 That is, abundance (in quantity); or, excellence (in quality).
  12. 2 Corinthians 4:8 Or, pressed, squeezed.
  13. 2 Corinthians 4:8 Or, confined, crushed.
  14. 2 Corinthians 4:10 Or, putting-to-death; or its result, the death, deadness.
  15. 2 Corinthians 4:10 Or, revealed, made visible.
  16. 2 Corinthians 4:13 That is, disposition characterized by. Or, Spirit producing.
  17. 2 Corinthians 4:16 Or, ruined, spoiled, consumed, wasted.
  18. 2 Corinthians 4:18 Or, looking-at, looking-to, watching-for.

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