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2 Corinthians 2:14-7:4
Disciples’ Literal New Testament

I Praise God That He Is Always Spreading The Aroma of Christ Through Us Everywhere

14 But thanks be to God, the One always leading us in triumph[a] in Christ, and making the aroma of [b] the knowledge of Him known through us in every place. 15 Because we are the fragrance of Christ for[c] God among the ones being saved, and among the ones perishing— 16 to the ones an aroma from death to[d] death, but to the others an aroma from life to life. And who is sufficient for these things? 17 For we are not like the many peddling[e] the word of God. But as from purity, but as from God, we are speaking in Christ before God.

You Yourselves Are Proof To Everyone That God Is Working Through Us

3 Are we[f] beginning to commend ourselves again? Or we do not have-need of letters of recommendation[g] to you or from you, like some, do we? 2 You are our letter— it having been inscribed in our hearts, it being known and being read by all people, 3 you being made-known[h] that you are a letter from[i] Christ having been served by us, having been inscribed not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not in tablets made-of-stone but in tablets[j] which are hearts made-of-flesh.

It Is God Who Makes Us Sufficient As Ministers of His New Covenant

4 And we have such[k] a confidence through Christ toward God— 5 not that we are sufficient[l] from ourselves to count anything as out of ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, 6 Who indeed made us sufficient as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives-life.

And This Ministry Is More Glorious Than That of The Old Covenant

7 And if the ministry of death having been engraved in letters on stones came in glory (so that the sons of Israel could not look-intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face[m]— the glory passing-away), 8 how shall the ministry of the Spirit not be more in glory! 9 For if in the ministry of condemnation there was glory, by much more the ministry of righteousness is abounding in glory. 10 For indeed the [ministry of the letter][n] having been glorified has not[o] been glorified in this respect— because of the surpassing glory! 11 For if the [ministry of the letter] passing-away was with glory, by much more the [ministry of the Spirit] remaining is in glory.

We Don’t Veil The Glory Like Moses. We Reflect It And Are Transformed By It

12 Therefore, having such a hope, we are using great boldness, 13 and are not like Moses. He was putting a veil on his face so that the sons of Israel might not look-intently at the end[p] of the [face of glory][q] passing-away. 14 But[r] their minds were hardened[s], for until this very day the same[t] veil remains on the reading of the old covenant— it not being unveiled because[u] it passes-away[v] in Christ. 15 Indeed[w], until today whenever Moses is being read, a veil lies on their heart. 16 But whenever it[x] turns to the Lord, the veil is taken-away. 17 Now the Lord[y] is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom! 18 But[z] we all with a face having been unveiled, while reflecting[aa] the glory of the Lord as a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from glory[ab] to glory, just-as[ac] from the Lord[ad], the Spirit.

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

4 For this reason, having this ministry even-as[ae] we received-mercy, we do not lose-heart. 2 But we renounced the hidden things of [af] shame, not walking in craftiness[ag], nor handling-deceitfully[ah] the word of God, but by the open-disclosure of the truth, commending[ai] ourselves to every conscience of mankind[aj] in the sight of God. 3 And if indeed our good-news is veiled, it is veiled in the ones perishing, 4 in whose case the god of this age blinded the minds of the unbelievers so that they might not see[ak] the illumination of the good-news of the glory of Christ— Who is the image of God. 5 For we are not proclaiming ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves for the sake of Jesus, 6 because God, the One having said “Light will shine out of darkness”, is He Who shined in our hearts for[al] the illumination of [am] 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

7 But[an] we have this treasure in vessels made-of-clay, in order that the excess[ao] of the power may be God’s and not from us— 8 in every way being afflicted[ap] but not restrained[aq], being perplexed but not utterly-perplexed, 9 being persecuted but not forsaken, being struck down but not perishing; 10 at-all-times carrying-around in our body the dying[ar] of Jesus in order that the life of Jesus may also be made-evident[as] 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[at] 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[au], 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[av] 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. 5 1 For we know that if our earthly house— our tent[aw]— is torn-down[ax], we have a building[ay] from God, a house not-made-by-human-hands, eternal, in the heavens.

We Do Indeed Groan In This Body And Would Prefer To Get Home To The Lord

2 For indeed in this tent we are groaning, yearning to put-on-over[az] ourselves our dwelling from heaven— 3 inasmuch[ba] as we, having taken-off [bb] this tent, shall not be found naked[bc]. 4 For indeed we, the ones being in the tent[bd], are groaning, being burdened, because we do not want to take-off [be] our earthly tent, but to put on our heavenly dwelling over it, in order that the mortal may be swallowed-up by the life. 5 And the One having made us for this very thing is God, the One having given us His pledge: the Spirit. 6 So while always being confident[bf], and knowing that while being-at-home in the body we are away-from-home, from the Lord 7 (for we walk by faith, not by appearance[bg])— 8 yet we are confident[bh] and prefer rather to get-away-from-home, out of the body, and to get-at-home with the Lord.

Therefore We Are Ambitious To Please Him By Persuading People

9 Therefore[bi] we indeed are ambitious[bj] to be pleasing to Him— whether being at-home or being away-from-home. 10 For we all must appear[bk] before the judgment-seat of Christ in order that each one might receive-back[bl] the things done in[bm] the body, in-accordance-with the things which he practiced, whether good or bad. 11 Therefore knowing the fear[bn] of the Lord, we are persuading[bo] people.

Now Our Heart Has Been Made Known To God, And I Hope To You. Boast In Us

Now[bp] we have been made known to God. And I hope that we also have been made known in your consciences. 12 We are not again commending ourselves to you, but are giving you an opportunity for a boast about us, in order that you may have an answer for the ones boasting in appearance and not in heart. 13 For if we lost-our-senses, it is for God! If we are sound-minded, it is for you!

For The Love of Christ Controls Us As We Live a New Life For Him

14 For the love of [bq] Christ controls[br] us, we having determined this— that One died for all, therefore all died. 15 And He died for all so that the ones living might no longer be living for themselves, but for the One having died and been raised for them. 16 So then from now on, we regard[bs] no one based-on[bt] the flesh[bu]. Even though we have known Christ based on the flesh, nevertheless now we no longer are knowing Him thus. 17 So then if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation[bv]. The old things passed-away; behold, new things have come-into-being[bw].

And God Gave Us This Ministry of Reconciliation As His Ambassadors

18 And all things are from God, the One having reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and having given us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 how that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself— not counting their trespasses against them, and[bx] having placed the message of reconciliation in us. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors on behalf of Christ, since[by] God is appealing through us.

We Are Begging People To Be Reconciled To God...

We are begging[bz] on behalf of Christ: “Be reconciled to God! 21 He made the One not having known sin to be sin for us, in order that we might become the righteousness of God in Him”...

We Are Appealing To You Too!

6 And working-with Him, we also are appealing that you not receive the grace of God in vain. 2 For He says [in Isa 49:8], “I heard you at the acceptable time. And I helped you on the day of salvation”. Behold, now is the very-acceptable time. Behold, now is the day of salvation.

... In The Process Giving Them No Opportunity For Stumbling...

3 ... in[ca] nothing giving any opportunity-for-stumbling, in order that the ministry may not be faulted,

... But Commending Ourselves While Enduring The Bad And Persevering In The Good

4 ... but in everything, as God’s servants, commending ourselves in great endurance— in afflictions, in constraints, in distresses, 5 in beatings, in prisons, in disturbances, in labors, in watchings[cb], in fastings; 6 in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in a holy[cc] spirit, in sincere love, 7 in the word[cd] of truth, in the power of God; through[ce] the weapons of [cf] righteousness for the right hand and[cg] the left; 8 through[ch] glory and dishonor, through evil-report[ci] and good-report; as deceivers and true ones, 9 as being not-known and being fully-known; as dying and behold we live, as being disciplined and not being put-to-death, 10 as being grieved but always rejoicing; as poor but enriching many, as having nothing and holding-on-to all things.

Open Your Hearts To Us, Corinthians

11 Our mouth has opened to you, Corinthians; our heart has been opened-wide. 12 You are not restrained[cj] in us, but you are restrained in your own deep-feelings. 13 Now as[ck] the same return[cl]— I speak as to my children— you also open-wide.

Do Not Be Mis-Yoked To Unbelievers; Be Separated Out To God Your Father

14 Do not be ones being mis-yoked to unbelievers[cm]. For what partnership is there for righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship is there for light with darkness? 15 And what is the harmony[cn] of Christ with Beliar[co]? Or what share is there for a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement[cp] is there for the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God, just as God said [in Lev 26:12], that “I will dwell in them, and I will walk-among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people”. 17 Therefore, “Come out of their midst and be separated[cq]”, says the Lord, “and do not touch an unclean thing[cr]. And I will take you in 18 and be a father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to me”, says the Lord Almighty. 7 1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every stain[cs] of flesh and spirit, perfecting[ct] holiness in the fear of God.

Make Room For Us In Your Hearts

2 Make-room-for us— we wronged no one, we corrupted[cu] no one, we exploited[cv] no one. 3 I am not speaking for your condemnation. For I have said-before that you are in our hearts so as to die-together and to live-together. 4 There is great confidence in me toward you. There is much boasting by me about you.

When I Found Titus In Macedonia, I Was Comforted By His Report About You

I have been filled with comfort. I am super-abounding with joy in all our affliction.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 2:14 That is, in a triumphal procession.
  2. 2 Corinthians 2:14 That is, consisting of.
  3. 2 Corinthians 2:15 Or, to.
  4. 2 Corinthians 2:16 That is, originating in death and resulting in death; or, from Christ’s death to their death.
  5. 2 Corinthians 2:17 That is, selling it for personal gain.
  6. 2 Corinthians 3:1 Paul pauses to answer a false conclusion that could be drawn from 2:14-17.
  7. 2 Corinthians 3:1 That is, to prove we are authorized representatives of God.
  8. 2 Corinthians 3:3 That is, through the letter recorded on your hearts.
  9. 2 Corinthians 3:3 That is, from Christ to others; or, about Christ.
  10. 2 Corinthians 3:3 in tablets... flesh. Or, in tablets made-of-flesh— in hearts.
  11. 2 Corinthians 3:4 That is, such as described in 2:14-3:3.
  12. 2 Corinthians 3:5 Or, adequate, worthy, competent.
  13. 2 Corinthians 3:7 God made the face of Moses shine temporarily, Ex 34:29-30.
  14. 2 Corinthians 3:10 Lit, the thing. Paul leaves it to the reader to supply the reference from the context. Likewise three more times below.
  15. 2 Corinthians 3:10 That is, the ministry glorified in the face of Moses and other ways pales by comparison to the surpassing glory now.
  16. 2 Corinthians 3:13 Or, cessation, termination, finish, goal.
  17. 2 Corinthians 3:13 For Paul, the fading glory on Moses’ face symbolized the temporary nature of that covenant. Others supply [ministry of the letter].
  18. 2 Corinthians 3:14 Paul makes an application from Moses to Israel.
  19. 2 Corinthians 3:14 That is, to the spiritual meaning of the fading glory, and thus to the true intent of the old covenant.
  20. 2 Corinthians 3:14 Like the one on Moses, it hides the fading glory.
  21. 2 Corinthians 3:14 Or, that; it not being unveiled (revealed) to them that it (the old covenant) passes away in Christ.
  22. 2 Corinthians 3:14 Or, is done-away.
  23. 2 Corinthians 3:15 Paul clarifies that the veil is not on the Law, but on their hearts.
  24. 2 Corinthians 3:16 That is, such a veiled heart (v 15) or hardened mind (v 14); or, a person, a Jew. Or, he (Moses), as the type of one turning to the Lord, Ex 34:34. As with Moses physically then, so today spiritually.
  25. 2 Corinthians 3:17 That is, the Lord in Moses’ case (v 16) is the Spirit today; or, the Lord (Christ) is the OT ‘Spirit of the Lord’ in our experience of God today.
  26. 2 Corinthians 3:18 Now Paul makes an application from Moses to us, completing what he began in v 13. We are not like Moses who veiled his face... But we all are being transformed.
  27. 2 Corinthians 3:18 Or, looking at. Moses did both.
  28. 2 Corinthians 3:18 That is, from glory to more glory (not fading); or, from His glory to our glory.
  29. 2 Corinthians 3:18 That is, just as would be expected.
  30. 2 Corinthians 3:18 That is, the Lord who is the Spirit; or, the Spirit who is the Lord; or, the Lord of the Spirit (that is, who sends the Spirit).
  31. 2 Corinthians 4:1 That is, as a gift of His grace.
  32. 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.
  33. 2 Corinthians 4:2 Or, trickery. That is, using any means to gain our end.
  34. 2 Corinthians 4:2 Or, adulterating, distorting, falsifying.
  35. 2 Corinthians 4:2 Or, presenting.
  36. 2 Corinthians 4:2 That is, every individual conscience of all people with whom we come in contact.
  37. 2 Corinthians 4:4 Or, so that the illumination of the good-news of the glory of Christ might not shine-forth on them.
  38. 2 Corinthians 4:6 That is, to create in us.
  39. 2 Corinthians 4:6 That is, consisting of; or, produced by.
  40. 2 Corinthians 4:7 Paul now turns to the external causes of losing heart.
  41. 2 Corinthians 4:7 That is, abundance (in quantity); or, excellence (in quality).
  42. 2 Corinthians 4:8 Or, pressed, squeezed.
  43. 2 Corinthians 4:8 Or, confined, crushed.
  44. 2 Corinthians 4:10 Or, putting-to-death; or its result, the death, deadness.
  45. 2 Corinthians 4:10 Or, revealed, made visible.
  46. 2 Corinthians 4:13 That is, disposition characterized by. Or, Spirit producing.
  47. 2 Corinthians 4:16 Or, ruined, spoiled, consumed, wasted.
  48. 2 Corinthians 4:18 Or, looking-at, looking-to, watching-for.
  49. 2 Corinthians 5:1 That is, our physical body.
  50. 2 Corinthians 5:1 Or, taken-down.
  51. 2 Corinthians 5:1 That is, a resurrection body; or, a place to stay (Jn 14:2).
  52. 2 Corinthians 5:2 That is, like an outer garment.
  53. 2 Corinthians 5:3 Or, since indeed.
  54. 2 Corinthians 5:3 Some manuscripts say having put-on the heavenly-dwelling.
  55. 2 Corinthians 5:3 That is, without a body; or, without a dwelling-place. The reverse of v 1.
  56. 2 Corinthians 5:4 That is, physically alive on earth.
  57. 2 Corinthians 5:4 to take off... to put on. That is, to die... to live with God.
  58. 2 Corinthians 5:6 That is, in the present life we live by faith.
  59. 2 Corinthians 5:7 Or, sight, what is seen.
  60. 2 Corinthians 5:8 That is, in the future life that awaits us when we die.
  61. 2 Corinthians 5:9 We do not lose heart, looking to the next life, 4:16-5:8. Now positively, we are ambitious, looking to what remains of earthly life.
  62. 2 Corinthians 5:9 Or, make it our aim.
  63. 2 Corinthians 5:10 Or be made-known (as in v 11).
  64. 2 Corinthians 5:10 Or, get, obtain, receive-in-full.
  65. 2 Corinthians 5:10 Or, during-the-time-of, by-means-of.
  66. 2 Corinthians 5:11 That is, reverence for the Lord and the desire to please Him that this fact (v 10) elicits in us.
  67. 2 Corinthians 5:11 That is, in accordance with what God commanded us to do.
  68. 2 Corinthians 5:11 Or, But. Others begin this point with v 12.
  69. 2 Corinthians 5:14 That is, proceeding from; or, for.
  70. 2 Corinthians 5:14 Or, grips, governs, directs, compels.
  71. 2 Corinthians 5:16 Or, know, recognize, take interest in, value.
  72. 2 Corinthians 5:16 Or, in accordance with, in relation to. We regard people only in relation to the One who died for them: as living for Him or needing Him.
  73. 2 Corinthians 5:16 That is, based on earthly viewpoints and distinctions.
  74. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Or, creature.
  75. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Or, come-to-pass, come-about.
  76. 2 Corinthians 5:19 God ‘was reconciling’ in two senses, the ‘not counting’ which still continues and the ‘having placed’ which is finished.
  77. 2 Corinthians 5:20 Or, seeing-that.
  78. 2 Corinthians 5:20 Or, pleading. What follows gives the content of the begging (Be reconciled), and the manner of it (6:3-10).
  79. 2 Corinthians 6:3 Paul continues on from 5:21.
  80. 2 Corinthians 6:5 Or, sleepless-nights.
  81. 2 Corinthians 6:6 That is, a holy disposition. Or, the Holy Spirit.
  82. 2 Corinthians 6:7 Or, in the message characterized by truth (the gospel); or, in truthful speech; or, in the declaration of truth.
  83. 2 Corinthians 6:7 Or, with, by-means-of.
  84. 2 Corinthians 6:7 That is, belonging to, proceeding from, supplied by.
  85. 2 Corinthians 6:7 right... and left. That is, offensive (a sword) and defensive (a shield); or more generally, fully armed for any fight.
  86. 2 Corinthians 6:8 Or, by-way-of, with, amid.
  87. 2 Corinthians 6:8 Or, ill-repute and good-repute; slander and praise.
  88. 2 Corinthians 6:12 Or, cramped. There is no restraint of love or cramping of space for you in our hearts.
  89. 2 Corinthians 6:13 Or, give.
  90. 2 Corinthians 6:13 That is, the same return due me (love from one’s children) as due you (love from one’s father). What Paul has in mind requires both a turning from those misleading them (6:14-7:1) and a turning to Paul (7:2).
  91. 2 Corinthians 6:14 This was one source of their mistaken attitudes and less-than wide-open feelings toward Paul.
  92. 2 Corinthians 6:15 Or, agreement, shared interest.
  93. 2 Corinthians 6:15 That is, Satan.
  94. 2 Corinthians 6:16 Or, mutual decision, voted agreement.
  95. 2 Corinthians 6:17 Or, set apart.
  96. 2 Corinthians 6:17 Or, person.
  97. 2 Corinthians 7:1 Or, defilement.
  98. 2 Corinthians 7:1 Or, finishing, bringing to completeness.
  99. 2 Corinthians 7:2 Or, ruined, destroyed.
  100. 2 Corinthians 7:2 Or, defrauded.
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