New International Version

New Living Translation

Present Weakness and Resurrection Life

Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.

1

Treasure in Fragile Clay Jars

Therefore, since God in his mercy has given us this new way,a we never give up.

2

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 everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.

2

We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods. We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this.

3

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.

3

If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing.

4

The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

4

Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.

5

For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.

5

You see, we don’t go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus’ sake.

6

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”a made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.

6

For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.

7

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

7

We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure.b This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.

8

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;

8

We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair.

9

persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.

9

We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.

10

We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.

10

Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.

11

For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body.

11

Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies.

12

So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

12

So we live in the face of death, but this has resulted in eternal life for you.

13

It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.”b Since we have that same spirit ofc faith, we also believe and therefore speak,

13

But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, “I believed in God, so I spoke.”c

14

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 to himself.

14

We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus,d will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you.

15

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.

15

All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory.

16

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

16

That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits aree being renewed every day.

17

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

17

For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!

18

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

18

So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

Parallel

New International Version

New Living Translation

2 Corinthians 4

2 Corinthians 4