2 Coríntios 4

The Light of the Gospel

1 Therefore, having *See ch. 3:6this ministry *1 Cor. 7:25;1 Tim. 1:13by the mercy of God,*4:1 Greek having this ministry as we have received mercy we do not lose heart. 2 But we have renounced *See Rom. 6:21disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice*4:2 Greek to walk in cunning or *ch. 2:17to tamper with God’s word, but *ch. 6:7;7:14by the open statement of the truth *ch. 5:11,12we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even *[ch. 3:14] if our gospel is veiled, *[Matt. 13:15] it is veiled to *ch. 2:15;1 Cor. 1:18;2 Thess. 2:10those who are perishing. 4 In their case *See John 12:31the god of this world *[See ver. 3above] has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing *ver. 6;See Acts 26:18the light of *See ch. 3:18the gospel of the glory of Christ, *Col. 1:15;[Phil. 2:6;Heb. 1:3]who is the image of God. 5 For what *[1 Thess. 2:6] we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with *1 Cor. 9:19;See ch. 1:24ourselves as your servants*4:5 Or slaves (for the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface) for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, *Gen. 1:3"Let light shine out of darkness," *2 Pet. 1:19has shone in our hearts to give *ver. 4the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Treasure in Jars of Clay

7 But we have this treasure in *2 Tim. 2:20;[ch. 5:1;Job 10:9;13:12;Lam. 4:2;1 Thess. 4:4;1 Pet. 3:7] jars of clay, *1 Cor. 2:5;[Judg. 7:2]to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are *ch. 7:5;[Ps. 129:2]afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but *Heb. 13:5;[Deut. 4:31] not forsaken; *Ps. 37:24;Prov. 24:16;Mic. 7:8struck down, but not destroyed; 10 *ch. 6:9;1 Cor. 4:9;15:31;[ch. 1:5,9;Rom. 6:5;8:36] always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, *2 Tim. 2:11;[Rom. 5:10;6:8]so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our bodies. 11 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. 12 So *[ch. 13:9]death is at work in us, but life in you.

13 Since we have *1 Cor. 12:9;2 Pet. 1:1the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, *Cited from Ps. 116:10"I believed, and so I spoke," we also believe, and so we also speak, 14 knowing that *1 Thess. 4:14;See Acts 2:24he who raised the Lord Jesus *ch. 1:9will raise us also with Jesus and *[Jude 24]bring us with you into his presence. 15 For *[ch. 1:6]; See Rom. 8:28it is all for your sake, so that as *[ch. 1:11;9:11,12] grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, *ch. 8:19to the glory of God.

16 So we do not lose heart. *See Acts 20:24Though our outer self*4:16 Greek man is wasting away, *See Rom. 7:22our inner self *[Isa. 40:30,31]; See Rom. 12:2is being renewed day by day. 17 For *Rom. 8:18;1 Pet. 1:6;5:10;[Ps. 30:5;Isa. 54:7]this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 *ch. 5:7;Rom. 8:24;Heb. 11:1,13as 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.