Προς Κορινθιους Β΄ 4
1 Διὰ τοῦτο ἔχοντες τὴν διακονίαν ταύτην, καθὼς ἠλεήθημεν, οὐκ ἐκκακοῦμεν·
Therefore seeing we have this ministry, even as we obtained mercy, we do not faint.
2 ἀλλὰ ἀπειπάμεθα τὰ κρυπτὰ τῆς αἰσχύνης, μὴ περιπατοῦντες ἐν πανουργίᾳ μηδὲ δολοῦντες τὸν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἀλλὰ τῇ φανερώσει τῆς ἀληθείας συνιστῶντες ἑαυτοὺς πρὸς πᾶσαν συνείδησιν ἀνθρώπων ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ.
But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
3 Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἔστι κεκαλυμμένον τὸ εὐαγγέλιον ἡμῶν, ἐν τοῖς ἀπολλυμένοις ἐστὶ κεκαλυμμένον·
Even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing;
4 ἐν οἷς ὁ θεὸς τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου ἐτύφλωσε τὰ νοήματα τῶν ἀπίστων, εἰς τὸ μὴ αὐγάσαι αὐτοῖς τὸν φωτισμὸν τοῦ εὐαγγελίου τῆς δόξης τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὅς ἐστιν εἰκὼν τοῦ Θεοῦ. (aiōn g165)
in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, so they would not see the light of the glorious gospel of Messiah, who is the image of God. (aiōn g165)
5 Οὐ γὰρ ἑαυτοὺς κηρύσσομεν, ἀλλὰ Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν Κύριον· ἑαυτοὺς δὲ δούλους ὑμῶν διὰ Ἰησοῦν.
For we do not preach ourselves, but Messiah Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves because of Jesus.
6 Ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς ὁ εἰπὼν ἐκ σκότους φῶς λάμψαι, ὃς ἔλαμψεν ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ἡμῶν πρὸς φωτισμὸν τῆς γνώσεως τῆς δόξης τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν προσώπῳ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ.
For it is God, who spoke for light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Messiah.
7 Ἔχομεν δὲ τὸν θησαυρὸν τοῦτον ἐν ὀστρακίνοις σκεύεσιν, ἵνα ἡ ὑπερβολὴ τῆς δυνάμεως ᾖ τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ μὴ ἐξ ἡμῶν·
But we have this treasure in clay vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves.
8 ἐν παντὶ θλιβόμενοι, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ στενοχωρούμενοι· ἀπορούμενοι, ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἐξαπορούμενοι·
We are pressed on every side, yet not crushed; perplexed, yet not to despair;
9 διωκόμενοι, ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἐγκαταλειπόμενοι· καταβαλλόμενοι, ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἀπολλύμενοι·
pursued, yet not forsaken; struck down, yet not destroyed;
10 πάντοτε τὴν νέκρωσιν τοῦ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ ἐν τῷ σώματι περιφέροντες, ἵνα καὶ ἡ ζωὴ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ἐν τῷ σώματι ἡμῶν φανερωθῇ.
always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.
11 Ἀεὶ γὰρ ἡμεῖς οἱ ζῶντες εἰς θάνατον παραδιδόμεθα διὰ Ἰησοῦν, ἵνα καὶ ἡ ζωὴ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ φανερωθῇ ἐν τῇ θνητῇ σαρκὶ ἡμῶν.
For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus may be revealed in our mortal flesh.
12 Ὥστε ὁ μὲν θάνατος ἐν ἡμῖν ἐνεργεῖται, ἡ δὲ ζωὴ ἐν ὑμῖν.
So then death works in us, but life in you.
13 Ἔχοντες δὲ τὸ αὐτὸ πνεῦμα τῆς πίστεως, κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον, Ἐπίστευσα, διὸ ἐλάλησα, καὶ ἡμεῖς πιστεύομεν, διὸ καὶ λαλοῦμεν·
But having the same spirit of faith, according to that which is written, "I believed, and therefore I spoke." We also believe, and therefore also we speak;
14 εἰδότες ὅτι ὁ ἐγείρας τὸν Κύριον Ἰησοῦν καὶ ἡμᾶς διὰ Ἰησοῦ ἐγερεῖ, καὶ παραστήσει σὺν ὑμῖν.
knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus, and will present us with you.
15 Τὰ γὰρ πάντα δι᾽ ὑμᾶς, ἵνα ἡ χάρις πλεονάσασα διὰ τῶν πλειόνων τὴν εὐχαριστίαν περισσεύσῃ εἰς τὴν δόξαν τοῦ Θεοῦ.
For all things are for your sakes, that the grace, being multiplied through the many, may cause the thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.
16 Διὸ οὐκ ἐκκακοῦμεν, ἀλλ᾽ εἰ καὶ ὁ ἔξω ἡμῶν ἄνθρωπος διαφθείρεται, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ ἔσωθεν ἀνακαινοῦται ἡμέρᾳ καὶ ἡμέρᾳ.
Therefore we do not become discouraged, but even though our outer nature is wearing away, yet our inner nature is being renewed day by day.
17 Τὸ γὰρ παραυτίκα ἐλαφρὸν τῆς θλίψεως ἡμῶν καθ᾽ ὑπερβολὴν εἰς ὑπερβολὴν αἰώνιον βάρος δόξης κατεργάζεται ἡμῖν, (aiōnios g166)
For this momentary light affliction is working for us a far more exceeding and everlasting weight of glory; (aiōnios g166)
18 μὴ σκοπούντων ἡμῶν τὰ βλεπόμενα, ἀλλὰ τὰ μὴ βλεπόμενα· τὰ γὰρ βλεπόμενα πρόσκαιρα· τὰ δὲ μὴ βλεπόμενα αἰώνια. (aiōnios g166)
while we do not look 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 everlasting. (aiōnios g166)
