Προς Κορινθιους Β΄ 4
1 Διὰ τοῦτο ἔχοντες τὴν διακονίαν ταύτην, καθὼς ἠλεήθημεν, οὐκ ἐκκακοῦμεν·
Therefore, since it is by God’s mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart.
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.
No, we have renounced the secrecy prompted by shame, refusing to adopt crafty ways, or to tamper with God’s Message, and commending ourselves to every man’s conscience, in the sight of God, by our exhibition of the Truth.
3 Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἔστι κεκαλυμμένον τὸ εὐαγγέλιον ἡμῶν, ἐν τοῖς ἀπολλυμένοις ἐστὶ κεκαλυμμένον·
And, even if the Good News that we bring is veiled, it is veiled only in the case of those who are on the path to Ruin —
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)
Men whose minds have been blinded by the God of this Age, unbelievers as they are, so that the light from the Good News of the glory of the Christ, who is the very incarnation of God, should not shine for them. (aiōn g165)
5 Οὐ γὰρ ἑαυτοὺς κηρύσσομεν, ἀλλὰ Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν Κύριον· ἑαυτοὺς δὲ δούλους ὑμῶν διὰ Ἰησοῦν.
(For it is not ourselves that we proclaim, but Christ Jesus, as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.)
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.
Indeed, the same God who said ‘Out of darkness light shall shine,’ has shone in upon our hearts, so that we should bring out into the light the knowledge of the glory of God, seen in the face of Christ.
7 Ἔχομεν δὲ τὸν θησαυρὸν τοῦτον ἐν ὀστρακίνοις σκεύεσιν, ἵνα ἡ ὑπερβολὴ τῆς δυνάμεως ᾖ τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ μὴ ἐξ ἡμῶν·
This treasure we have in these earthen vessels, that its all-prevailing power may be seen to come from God, and not to be our own.
8 ἐν παντὶ θλιβόμενοι, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ στενοχωρούμενοι· ἀπορούμενοι, ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἐξαπορούμενοι·
Though hard pressed on every side, we are never hemmed in; through perplexed, never driven to despair;
9 διωκόμενοι, ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἐγκαταλειπόμενοι· καταβαλλόμενοι, ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἀπολλύμενοι·
though pursued, never abandoned; though struck down, never killed!
10 πάντοτε τὴν νέκρωσιν τοῦ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ ἐν τῷ σώματι περιφέροντες, ἵνα καὶ ἡ ζωὴ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ἐν τῷ σώματι ἡμῶν φανερωθῇ.
We always bear on our bodies the marks of the death that Jesus died, so that the Life also of Jesus may be exhibited in our bodies.
11 Ἀεὶ γὰρ ἡμεῖς οἱ ζῶντες εἰς θάνατον παραδιδόμεθα διὰ Ἰησοῦν, ἵνα καὶ ἡ ζωὴ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ φανερωθῇ ἐν τῇ θνητῇ σαρκὶ ἡμῶν.
Indeed, we who still live are continually being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the Life also of Jesus may be exhibited in our mortal nature.
12 Ὥστε ὁ μὲν θάνατος ἐν ἡμῖν ἐνεργεῖται, ἡ δὲ ζωὴ ἐν ὑμῖν.
And so, while death is at work within us, Life is at work within you.
13 Ἔχοντες δὲ τὸ αὐτὸ πνεῦμα τῆς πίστεως, κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον, Ἐπίστευσα, διὸ ἐλάλησα, καὶ ἡμεῖς πιστεύομεν, διὸ καὶ λαλοῦμεν·
But, in the same spirit of faith as that expressed in the words — ‘I believed, and therefore I spoke,’ we, also believe, and therefore speak.
14 εἰδότες ὅτι ὁ ἐγείρας τὸν Κύριον Ἰησοῦν καὶ ἡμᾶς διὰ Ἰησοῦ ἐγερεῖ, καὶ παραστήσει σὺν ὑμῖν.
For we know that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with him, and will bring us, with you, into his presence.
15 Τὰ γὰρ πάντα δι᾽ ὑμᾶς, ἵνα ἡ χάρις πλεονάσασα διὰ τῶν πλειόνων τὴν εὐχαριστίαν περισσεύσῃ εἰς τὴν δόξαν τοῦ Θεοῦ.
For all this is for your sakes, that the loving-kindness of God, spreading from heart to heart, may cause yet more hearts to overflow with thanksgiving, to his glory.
16 Διὸ οὐκ ἐκκακοῦμεν, ἀλλ᾽ εἰ καὶ ὁ ἔξω ἡμῶν ἄνθρωπος διαφθείρεται, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ ἔσωθεν ἀνακαινοῦται ἡμέρᾳ καὶ ἡμέρᾳ.
Therefore, as I said, we do not lose heart. No, even though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.
