4Verse 1Therefore, since we have received mercy along with this ministry, we do not lose heart.Verse 2Rather, we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in deception nor falsifying the Word of God,+but by the open proclamation of the Truth+commending ourselves to every man's conscience, in the sight of God.Verse 3So where our Gospel has actually been concealed, it has been hidden from those who are being wasted,Verse 4among whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelieving,+so that the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn on them.Verse 5Now we do not proclaim ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Sovereign,+and ourselves as your servants+for Jesus' sake;Verse 6because the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness+is He who shined in our hearts to give the light that comes from the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.+Verse 7Further, we have this treasure in jars of clay,+so that this all-surpassing power may be of God and not from ourselves+Verse 8—we are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;Verse 9persecuted, yet not abandoned; knocked down, but not out;+Verse 10always carrying about in the body the putting to death of the Lord+Jesus, so that also the life of Jesus may be manifested in our body.+Verse 11For we, the living, are always being handed over to death for Jesus' sake, so that also the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.+Verse 12So then, death is at work in us, but life in you.+
Momentary affliction; eternal glory
Verse 13Now since we have the same spirit of faith, just like it is written, “I believed; therefore I spoke,”+we also believe and therefore speak,Verse 14knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us through Jesus+and present us together with you.Verse 15So all this is for your benefit, so that the grace that has spread through the many may cause the thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.+Verse 16Therefore we do not lose heart—even though our outer man is wasting away, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day—Verse 17because our light, momentary affliction is working out for us an eternal and limitless measure of glory,+Verse 18as we do not focus on the seen, but on the not seen; for what is seen is transitory, but what is unseen is eternal.+