Therefore, since we have this aministry, as we breceived mercy, we cdo not lose heart,1 Cor 3:51 Cor 7:25Luke 18:1; 2 Cor 4:16; Gal 6:9; Eph 3:13; 2 Thess 3:13 2 but we have renounced the athings hidden because of shame, not walking in trickery nor bdistorting the word of God, but by the open proclamation of the truth ccommending ourselves to every person’s conscience in the sight of God.Rom 6:21; 1 Cor 4:52 Cor 2:172 Cor 5:11f 3 And even if our agospel is bveiled, it is veiled 1to cthose who are perishing,Lit among2 Cor 2:121 Cor 2:6ff; 2 Cor 3:141 Cor 1:18; 2 Cor 2:15 4 in whose case athe god of bthis 1world has cblinded the minds of the unbelieving so that 2they will not see the dlight of the gospel of the eglory of Christ, who is the fimage of God.Lit ageOr the light...image of God, will not shine upon themJohn 12:31Matt 13:222 Cor 3:14Acts 26:18; 2 Cor 4:62 Cor 3:18; 4:6John 1:18; Phil 2:6; Col 1:15; Heb 1:3 5 For we ado not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants 1on account of Jesus.Two early mss through Jesus1 Cor 4:15f; 1 Thess 2:6f 6 For God, who said, “aLight shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has bshone in our hearts to give the cLight of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.Gen 1:32 Pet 1:19Acts 26:18; 2 Cor 4:4
7 But we have this treasure in 1aearthen containers, so that the extraordinary greatness of bthe power will be of God and not from ourselves;Or earthenware containersJob 4:19; 10:9; 33:6; Lam 4:2; 2 Cor 5:1; 2 Tim 2:20Judg 7:2; 1 Cor 2:5 8 we are aafflicted in every way, but not bcrushed; cperplexed, but not despairing;2 Cor 1:8; 7:52 Cor 6:12Gal 4:20 9 apersecuted, but not babandoned; cstruck down, but not destroyed;John 15:20; Rom 8:35fPs 129:2; Heb 13:5Ps 37:24; Prov 24:16; Mic 7:8 10 aalways carrying around in the body the dying of Jesus, so that bthe life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.Rom 6:5; 8:36; Gal 6:17Rom 6:8 11 For we who live are constantly being handed over to death because of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our mortal flesh. 12 So death works in us, but life in you.
13 But having the same aspirit of faith, according to what is written: “bI BELIEVED, THEREFORE I SPOKE,” we also believe, therefore we also speak,1 Cor 12:9Ps 116:10 14 knowing that He who araised the Lord Jesus bwill also raise us with Jesus, and will cpresent us with you.Acts 2:241 Thess 4:14Luke 21:36; Eph 5:27; Col 1:22; Jude 24 15 For all things are afor your sakes, so that grace, having 1bspread to more and more people, will cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.Lit multiplied through the manyRom 8:28; 2 Cor 1:61 Cor 9:19; 2 Cor 1:11
16 Therefore we ado not lose heart, but though our outer person is decaying, yet our binner person is cbeing renewed day by day.2 Cor 4:1Rom 7:22Is 40:29, 31; Col 3:10 17 For our momentary, alight affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison,Rom 8:18 18 while we alook 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.Rom 8:24; 2 Cor 5:7; Heb 11:1, 13