2 Corinthians 4

Paul's Apostolic Ministry

1 Therefore *, since we have this 1ministry, as we 2received mercy, we 3do not lose heart,
2 but we have renounced the 4things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or 5adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth 6commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
3 And even if our 7gospel is 8veiled, it is veiled to 9those who are perishing,
4 in whose case 10the god of 11this world has 12blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the 13light of the gospel of the 14glory of Christ, who is the 15image of God.
5 For we 16do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus' sake.
6 For God, who said, "17Light shall shine out of darkness," is the One who has 18shone in our hearts to give the 19Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in 20earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of 21the power will be of God and not from ourselves;
8 we are 22afflicted in every way, but not 23crushed; 24perplexed, but not despairing;
9 25persecuted, but not 26forsaken; 27struck down, but not destroyed;
10 28always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that 29the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
11 For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
12 So death works in us, but life in you.
13 But having the same 30spirit of faith, according to what is written, "31I BELIEVED, THEREFORE I SPOKE," we also believe, therefore we also speak,
14 knowing that He who 32raised the Lord Jesus 33will raise us also with Jesus and will 34present us with you.
15 For all things are 35for your sakes, so that the grace which is 36spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God.
16 Therefore we 37do not lose heart, but though * our outer man is decaying, yet our 38inner man is 39being renewed day by day.
17 For momentary, 40light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison,
18 while we 41look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

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Cross References 41

  • 1. 1 Corinthians 3:5
  • 2. 1 Corinthians 7:25
  • 3. Luke 18:1; 2 Corinthians 4:16; Galatians 6:9; Ephesians 3:13; 2 Thessalonians 3:13
  • 4. Romans 6:21; 1 Corinthians 4:5
  • 5. 2 Corinthians 2:17
  • 6. 2 Corinthians 5:11
  • 7. 2 Corinthians 2:12
  • 8. 1 Corinthians 2:6f; 2 Corinthians 3:14
  • 9. 1 Corinthians 1:18; 2 Corinthians 2:15
  • 10. John 12:31
  • 11. Matthew 13:22
  • 12. 2 Corinthians 3:14
  • 13. Acts 26:18; 2 Corinthians 4:6
  • 14. 2 Corinthians 3:18; 2 Corinthians 4:6
  • 15. John 1:18; Philippians 2:6; Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3
  • 16. 1 Corinthians 4:15; 1 Thessalonians 2:6
  • 17. Genesis 1:3
  • 18. 2 Peter 1:19
  • 19. Acts 26:18; 2 Corinthians 4:4
  • 20. Job 4:19; Job 10:9; Job 33:6; Lamentations 4:2; 2 Corinthians 5:1; 2 Timothy 2:20
  • 21. Judges 7:2; 1 Corinthians 2:5
  • 22. 2 Corinthians 1:8; 2 Corinthians 7:5
  • 23. 2 Corinthians 6:12
  • 24. Galatians 4:20
  • 25. John 15:20; Romans 8:35
  • 26. Psalms 129:2; Hebrews 13:5
  • 27. Psalms 37:24; Proverbs 24:16; Micah 7:8
  • 28. Romans 6:5; Romans 8:36; Galatians 6:17
  • 29. Romans 6:8
  • 30. 1 Corinthians 12:9
  • 31. Psalms 116:10
  • 32. Acts 2:24
  • 33. 1 Thessalonians 4:14
  • 34. Luke 21:36; Ephesians 5:27; Colossians 1:22; Jude 24
  • 35. Romans 8:28; 2 Corinthians 1:6
  • 36. 1 Corinthians 9:19; 2 Corinthians 1:11
  • 37. 2 Corinthians 4:1
  • 38. Romans 7:22
  • 39. Isaiah 40:29, 31; Colossians 3:10
  • 40. Romans 8:18
  • 41. Romans 8:24; 2 Corinthians 5:7; Hebrews 11:1, 13

Footnotes 5

  • [a]. Lit "in"
  • [b]. Lit "age"
  • [c]. Or "that the light...image of God, would not dawn" upon them
  • [d]. Two early mss read "through Jesus"
  • [e]. Lit "being multiplied through the many"

2 Corinthians 4 Commentaries

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