2 Corinthians 4

₁Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. ₂But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. ₃And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. ₄In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. ₅For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. ₆For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

₇But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. ₈We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; ₉persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; ₁₀always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. ₁₁For 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. ₁₂So death is at work in us, but life in you.

₁₃Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, ₁₄knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. ₁₅For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

₁₆So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. ₁₇For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, ₁₈as 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.