2 Corinthians 4
1 So, because God has acted so kindly [toward me], enabling [me to teach] this great [message to people], I never get [so] discouraged [that I stop teaching it].
Therefore, seeing that we haue this ministerie, as we haue receiued mercy, we faint not:
2 And I have determined that we [(exc)] will be honest [LIT] in everything that we do. We will not [do anything that would cause] us to be ashamed [if people found out about it]. We never try to deceive [you with clever arguments, as some other people do]. We never [try to deceive you] by changing God’s message, [as those same people do]. Instead, we always teach [people only] the truth [about Christ], and we teach it clearly. Knowing that God is watching what we do, we [teach his message in an honest way, with the result that] no one can [accuse] us [(exc) of being deceitful].
But haue cast from vs ye clokes of shame, and walke not in craftines, neither handle we the worde of God deceitfully: but in declaration of the trueth we approue our selues to euery mans conscience in the sight of God.
3 And if, [as some of you say, some people are] not able to understand the message [that we teach about Christ, it is not because we do not teach it clearly]. It is because those people [do not want to believe it]. They are going to perish eternally.
If our Gospell bee then hid, it is hid to them that are lost.
4 [Satan, who is] the one [who rules] this world, controls the thoughts of those unbelievers. He prevents them from understanding the message about how wonderful Christ is. [They are not able to understand that] Jesus is like God [in every way]. (aiōn g165)
In whom the God of this world hath blinded the mindes, that is, of the infidels, that the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ, which is the image of God, should not shine vnto them. (aiōn g165)
5 That is why, [when we(exc) teach people], we do not boast about ourselves, [as some people say that we do]. Instead, [we teach you] that Jesus Christ is our Lord. We ourselves are [only] your servants. [We want to honor and obey] Jesus.
For we preach not our selues, but Christ Iesus the Lord, and our selues your seruaunts for Iesus sake.
6 When God [created the world], he commanded the light to shine [where there was nothing but] darkness. He is the one who has [made his message about Jesus to be like] [MET] a light shining into our [(inc)] minds. [God] has done that [for all of us who believe in Jesus. He has done that so that we will understand that when people saw] Christ, they saw how awesome God himself was.
For God that commanded the light to shine out of darknesse, is he which hath shined in our hearts, to giue the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ.
7 [This work that God has given to] us [(exc)] is [MET] [like] a very valuable treasure. But we who have that treasure [are as weak as fragile] [MET] clay pots. [God has planned it like that] in order that [people] will know that the power [that changes lives] is God’s power, and not any power of our own.
But we haue this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellencie of that power might be of God, and not of vs.
8 We are continually oppressed {[People] continually oppress us} in many ways, but [we have] not been prevented {[God has] not [allowed them to] prevent us} [from teaching the message about Jesus Christ]. We often do not know what to do [in difficult situations], but we never say, “God has abandoned us.”
Wee are afflicted on euery side, yet are we not in distresse: we are in doubt, but yet wee despaire not.
9 [We are frequently] persecuted {[People frequently] cause us to suffer}, but [God] never abandons us. [Sometimes we are] badly wounded {[people] badly wound us}, but [God does] not [allow] us [to] be killed {[them to] kill us}.
We are persecuted, but not forsaken: cast downe, but we perish not.
10 [Wherever we(exc) go], we continually [realize that because people killed] Jesus, [people may] kill us [for teaching his message. But we are willing to go on living this way] in order that [people] will know that Jesus is alive and [that he is directing] us [SYN].
Euery where we beare about in our bodie the dying of the Lord Iesus, that the life of Iesus might also be made manifest in our bodies.
11 [So, although] we are [still] alive, we always realize that we may be killed {that [people some day] may kill us} because [we teach about] Jesus. [God allows us to suffer] in order that [people] will see that Jesus is alive and that he is [strengthening] our bodies that are some day going to die.
For we which liue, are alwaies deliuered vnto death for Iesus sake, that the life also of Iesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
12 So [I conclude that although] we [apostles] are constantly [suffering and may soon] die, [the result of that is that all of] you [have now received eternal] life.
So then death worketh in vs, and life in you.
13 We are not discouraged. We are like [the person who] wrote [in the Scriptures], “[God], I trusted [in you] and so I continue speaking [your message].” We [(exc)] also trust [in God], so we continue speaking [his message].
And because we haue the same spirite of faith, according as it is written, I beleeued, and therefore haue I spoken, we also beleeue, and therefore speake,
14 [We do this] because we [(exc)] know that [although people might kill us, God], who caused the Lord Jesus to live again after he died, will also cause us [(exc)] to live again [after we die. God will do this because we belong to] Jesus. [And then God] will bring us [(exc)], together with you, to be with him.
Knowing that he which hath raised vp the Lord Iesus, shall raise vs vp also by Iesus, and shall set vs with you.
15 [So I say that] all these things [that we(exc) suffer] happen in order to help you. [We have suffered all this] in order that more and more people, [as a result of hearing that God will] kindly/freely [forgive their sins], will thank [him and praise him. Then] they will greatly honor him [and worship him].
For all thinges are for your sakes, that that most plenteous grace by the thankesgiuing of many, may redound to the praise of God.
16 So, [because we know that as a result of our suffering many people will honor God], we [(exc)] never get so discouraged [that we stop teaching his message]. Although our bodies are getting weaker, [God] encourages us every day and strengthens us spiritually.
Therefore we faint not, but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed daily.
17 [I know that] all these troubles that [happen to us in this life are] not significant and will not last forever. [When we think of] the glorious things [that God is preparing] for us [to enjoy] forever [in heaven], all [our suffering now] is not important. (aiōnios g166)
For our light affliction which is but for a moment, causeth vnto vs a farre most excellent and an eternall waight of glorie: (aiōnios g166)
18 That is why we say, “We will not continue thinking about [all the suffering that we] are experiencing now. Even though [we] cannot see [all the things that God has prepared for us in heaven], those are what we should be thinking about.” [That is how we should think], because [all these troubles] that [we(exc)] have [now] will last only a short time. But what [we will have in heaven], what [we] cannot see [now], will last forever. (aiōnios g166)
While we looke not on the thinges which are seene, but on the things which are not seene: for the things which are seene, are temporall: but the things which are not seene, are eternall. (aiōnios g166)
