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].
Darum, weil wir diesen Dienst haben, gemäß der uns widerfahrenen Barmherzigkeit, so lassen wir uns nicht entmutigen,
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].
sondern haben abgesagt der Verheimlichung aus Scham und gehen nicht mit Ränken um, fälschen auch nicht Gottes Wort; sondern durch Offenbarung der Wahrheit empfehlen wir uns jedem menschlichen Gewissen vor Gott.
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.
Ist aber unser Evangelium verhüllt, so ist es bei denen verhüllt, die verloren gehen;
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 welchen der Gott dieser Welt die Sinne der Ungläubigen verblendet hat, daß ihnen nicht aufleuchte das helle Licht des Evangeliums von der Herrlichkeit Christi, welcher Gottes Ebenbild ist. (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.
Denn wir predigen nicht uns selbst, sondern Jesus Christus, daß er der Herr sei, wir aber eure Knechte um Jesu willen.
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.
Denn der Gott, welcher aus der Finsternis Licht hervorleuchten hieß, der hat es auch in unsern Herzen licht werden lassen zur Erleuchtung mit der Erkenntnis der Herrlichkeit Gottes im Angesicht Jesu Christi.
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.
Wir haben aber diesen Schatz in irdenen Gefäßen, auf daß die überschwengliche Kraft von Gott sei und nicht von uns.
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.”
Wir werden allenthalben bedrängt, aber nicht erdrückt; wir kommen in Verlegenheit, aber nicht in Verzweiflung;
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}.
wir werden verfolgt, aber nicht verlassen; wir werden niedergeworfen, aber wir kommen nicht um;
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].
wir tragen allezeit das Sterben Jesu am Leibe herum, damit auch das Leben Jesu an unsrem Leibe offenbar werde.
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.
Denn immerdar werden wir, die wir leben, dem Tode preisgegeben um Jesu willen, damit auch das Leben Jesu offenbar werde an unsrem sterblichen Fleische.
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 ist also der Tod wirksam in uns, das Leben aber in euch.
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].
Weil wir aber denselben Geist des Glaubens haben, gemäß dem, was geschrieben steht: «Ich habe geglaubt, darum habe ich geredet», so glauben auch wir, darum reden wir auch,
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.
da wir wissen, daß der, welcher den Herrn Jesus von den Toten auferweckt hat, auch uns mit Jesus auferwecken und samt euch darstellen wird.
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].
Denn es geschieht alles um euretwillen, damit die zunehmende Gnade durch die Vielen den Dank überfließen lasse zur Ehre Gottes.
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.
Darum werden wir nicht entmutigt; sondern wenn auch unser äußerer Mensch zugrunde geht, so wird doch der innere Tag für Tag erneuert.
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)
Denn unsere Trübsal, die zeitlich und leicht ist, verschafft uns eine ewige und über alle Maßen gewichtige Herrlichkeit, (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)
uns, die wir nicht sehen auf das Sichtbare, sondern auf das Unsichtbare; denn was sichtbar ist, das ist zeitlich; was aber unsichtbar ist, das ist ewig. (aiōnios g166)
