^4:7But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that the extraordinary power¹⁵ belongs to God and does not come from us. ^4:8We are experiencing trouble on every side,¹⁶ but are not crushed; we are perplexed,¹⁷ but not driven to despair; ^4:9we are persecuted, but not abandoned;¹⁸ we are knocked down,¹⁹ but not destroyed, ^4:10always carrying around in our body the death of Jesus,²⁰ so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible²¹ in our body. ^4:11For we who are alive are constantly being handed over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible²² in our mortal body.²³^4:12As a result,²⁴ death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.²⁵

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Footnotes

15 Grk “the surpassingness of the power”; δυνάμεως (dunameōs) has been translated as an attributed genitive (“extraordinary power”).
16 Grk “we are hard pressed [by crowds] on every side.”
17 Or “at a loss.”
18 Or “forsaken.”
19 Or “badly hurt.” It is possible to interpret καταβαλλόμενοι (kataballomenoi) here as “badly hurt“: “[we are] badly hurt, but not destroyed” (L&N 20.21).
20 The first clause of 2 Cor 4:10 is elliptical and apparently refers to the fact that Paul was constantly in danger of dying in the same way Jesus died (by violence at least). According to L&N 23.99 it could be translated, “at all times we live in the constant threat of being killed as Jesus was.”
21 Or “may also be revealed.”
22 Or “may also be revealed.”
23 Grk “mortal flesh.”
24 Or “So then.”
25 Grk “death is at work in us, but life in you”; the phrase “is at work in” is repeated in the translation for clarity.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our bodies. For 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. So death is at work in us, but life in you.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

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 also be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us. We are afflicted in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed. We always carry the death of Jesus in our body, so that the life of Jesus may also be displayed in our body. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’s sake, so that Jesus’s life may also be displayed in our mortal flesh. So then, death is at work in us, but life in you.

NLTNew Living Translation

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

We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. 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.

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

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

But we have this treasure in earthenware jars, in order that the extraordinary degree of the power may be from God and not from us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying around the death of Jesus in our body, in order that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are continually being handed over to death because of Jesus, in order that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our mortal flesh. So then, death is at work in us, but life in you.

KJV 1900King James Version

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. So then death worketh in us, but life in you.

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