2 Corinthians
4
- Therefore, since through God's mercy we
have this ministry, we do not lose heart.
- Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful
ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary,
by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience
in the sight of God.
- And even if our gospel is veiled, it is
veiled to those who are perishing.
- The god of this age has blinded the minds
of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory
of Christ, who is the image of God.
- For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus
Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.
- For God, who said, "Let light shine
out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light
of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
- But we have this treasure in jars of clay
to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
- We are hard pressed on every side, but not
crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;
- persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down,
but not destroyed.
- We always carry around in our body the death
of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.
- For we who are alive are always being given
over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal
body.
- So then, death is at work in us, but life
is at work in you.
- It is written: "I believed; therefore
I have spoken." With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore
speak,
- because we know that the one who raised
the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us
with you in his presence.
- All this is for your benefit, so that the
grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow
to the glory of God.
- Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly
we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.
- For our light and momentary troubles are
achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
- So we fix our eyes not on what is seen,
but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is
eternal.
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