2 Corinthians 4–5

The Light of the Gospel

4Therefore, having ^xthis ministry ^yby the mercy of God,¹ we do not lose heart. ²But we have renounced ^zdisgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice² cunning or ^ato tamper with God’s word, but ^bby the open statement of the truth ^cwe would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. ³And even ^dif our gospel is veiled, ^eit is veiled to ^fthose who are perishing. ⁴In their case ^gthe god of this world ^dhas blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing ^hthe light of ⁱthe gospel of the glory of Christ, ^jwho is the image of God. ⁵For what ^kwe proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ^lourselves as your servants³ for Jesus’ sake. ⁶For God, who said, ^m“Let light shine out of darkness,” ⁿhas shone in our hearts to give ^othe light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Treasure in Jars of Clay

⁷But we have this treasure in ^pjars of clay, ^qto show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. ⁸We are ^rafflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; ⁹persecuted, but ^snot forsaken; ^tstruck down, but not destroyed; ^10ualways carrying in the body the death of Jesus, ^vso that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our bodies. ¹¹For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. ¹²So ^wdeath is at work in us, but life in you.

¹³Since we have ^xthe same spirit of faith according to what has been written, ^y“I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, ¹⁴knowing that ^zhe who raised the Lord Jesus ^awill raise us also with Jesus and ^bbring us with you into his presence. ¹⁵For ^cit is all for your sake, so that as ^dgrace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, ^eto the glory of God.

¹⁶So we do not lose heart. ^fThough our outer self⁴ is wasting away, ^gour inner self ^his being renewed day by day. ¹⁷For ⁱthis light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, ^18jas we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Our Heavenly Dwelling

5For we know that if ^kthe tent that is ^lour earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, ^ma house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. ²For in this tent ⁿwe groan, longing to ^oput on our heavenly dwelling, ³if indeed by putting it on¹ we may not be found naked. ⁴For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal ^pmay be swallowed up by life. ⁵He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, ^qwho has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.¹

⁶So we are always of good courage. We know that ^rwhile we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, ⁷for ^swe walk by faith, not ^tby sight. ⁸Yes, we are of good courage, and we ^uwould rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. ⁹So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to ^vplease him. ¹⁰For ^wwe must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, ^xso that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

The Ministry of Reconciliation

¹¹Therefore, knowing ^ythe fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But ^zwhat we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. ^12aWe are not commending ourselves to you again but ^bgiving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. ¹³For if we ^care beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. ¹⁴For the love of Christ ^dcontrols us, because we have concluded this: that ^eone has died for all, therefore all have died; ¹⁵and he died for all, ^fthat those who live might no longer live for themselves but ^gfor him who for their sake died and was raised.

¹⁶From now on, therefore, ^hwe regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. ¹⁷Therefore, if anyone is ⁱin Christ, he is ^ja new creation.^{2 k}The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. ¹⁸All this is from God, ^lwho through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us ^mthe ministry of reconciliation; ¹⁹that is, in Christ God was reconciling³ the world to himself, ⁿnot counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us ^mthe message of reconciliation. ²⁰Therefore, ^owe are ambassadors for Christ, ^pGod making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. ^21qFor our sake he made him to be sin ^rwho knew no sin, so that in him we might become ^sthe righteousness of God.