2 Corinthians 4:7–5:15

TREASURE IN CLAY JARS

7 Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary powerg may be from God and not from us. 8 We are afflicted in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; 9 we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed. 10 We always carry the death of Jesush in our body, so that the life of Jesus may also be displayed in our body. 11 For we who live are always being given over to deathi for Jesus’s sake, so that Jesus’s life may also be displayed in our mortal flesh. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life in you. 13 And since we have the same spirit of faith in keeping with what is written, I believed, therefore I spoke,A,j we also believe, and therefore speak. 14 For we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesusk and present us with you. 15 Indeed, everything is for your benefit so that, as grace extends through more and more people, it may cause thanksgivingl to increase to the glory of God.

16 Therefore we do not give up.m Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner personn is being renewed day by day. 17 For our momentary light afflictiono is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory.p 18 So we do not focus on what is seen,q but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

OUR FUTURE AFTER DEATH

5 For we know that if our earthly tent we live inr is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal dwelling in the heavens,s not made with hands.t 2 Indeed, we groan in this tent, desiringu to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 since, when we are clothed,B we will not be found naked.v 4 Indeed, we groan while we are in this tent, burdened as we are, because we do not want to be unclothed but clothed, so that mortalityw may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now the one who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the Spirit as a down payment.

6 So we are always confident and know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith,x not by sight.y 8 In fact, we are confident, and we would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.z 9 Therefore, whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to be pleasingaa to him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seatab of Christ,ac so that each may be repaidad for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

11 Therefore, since we know the fear of the Lord,ae we try to persuade people. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your consciences. 12 We are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving you an opportunity to be proud of us, so that you may have a reply for those who take pride in outward appearance rather than in the heart. 13 For if we are out of our mind,af it is for God; if we are in our right mind,ag it is for you. 14 For the love of Christ compels us, since we have reached this conclusion, that one died for all,ah and therefore all died. 15 And he died for allai so that those who live should no longer live for themselves,aj but for the oneak who died for them and was raised.