2 Corinthians 4

The Light of Christ’s Gospel

4Therefore, since we have this ministry, ^aas we have received mercy, we ^bdo not lose heart. ²But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor ¹handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth ^ccommending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. ³But even if our gospel is veiled, ^dit is veiled to those who are perishing, ⁴whose minds ^ethe god of this age ^fhas blinded, who do not believe, lest ^gthe light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, ^hwho is the image of God, should shine on them. ⁵ⁱFor we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ^jourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. ⁶For it is the God ^kwho commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has ^lshone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Cast Down But Unconquered

⁷But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, ^mthat the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. ⁸We are ⁿhard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹persecuted, but not ^oforsaken; ^pstruck down, but not destroyed—^10qalways carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, ^rthat the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. ¹¹For we who live ^sare always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. ¹²So then death is working in us, but life in you.

¹³And since we have ^tthe same spirit of faith, according to what is written, ^u“I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also believe and therefore speak, ¹⁴knowing that ^vHe who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. ¹⁵For ^wall things are for your sakes, that ^xgrace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.

Seeing the Invisible

¹⁶Therefore we ^ydo not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is ^zbeing renewed day by day. ¹⁷For ^aour light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, ^18bwhile we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.