2 Corinzi 4
1 Perciò, investiti di questo ministero per la misericordia che ci è stata usata, non ci perdiamo d'animo;
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].
2 al contrario, rifiutando le dissimulazioni vergognose, senza comportarci con astuzia né falsificando la parola di Dio, ma annunziando apertamente la verità, ci presentiamo davanti a ogni coscienza, al cospetto di Dio.
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].
3 E se il nostro vangelo rimane velato, lo è per coloro che si perdono,
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.
4 ai quali il dio di questo mondo ha accecato la mente incredula, perché non vedano lo splendore del glorioso vangelo di Cristo che è immagine di Dio. (aiōn g165)
[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)
5 Noi infatti non predichiamo noi stessi, ma Cristo Gesù Signore; quanto a noi, siamo i vostri servitori per amore di Gesù.
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.
6 E Dio che disse: Rifulga la luce dalle tenebre, rifulse nei nostri cuori, per far risplendere la conoscenza della gloria divina che rifulge sul volto di Cristo.
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.
7 Però noi abbiamo questo tesoro in vasi di creta, perché appaia che questa potenza straordinaria viene da Dio e non da noi.
[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.
8 Siamo infatti tribolati da ogni parte, ma non schiacciati; siamo sconvolti, ma non disperati;
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.”
9 perseguitati, ma non abbandonati; colpiti, ma non uccisi,
[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}.
10 portando sempre e dovunque nel nostro corpo la morte di Gesù, perché anche la vita di Gesù si manifesti nel nostro corpo.
[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].
11 Sempre infatti, noi che siamo vivi, veniamo esposti alla morte a causa di Gesù, perché anche la vita di Gesù sia manifesta nella nostra carne mortale.
[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.
12 Di modo che in noi opera la morte, ma in voi la vita.
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.
13 Animati tuttavia da quello stesso spirito di fede di cui sta scritto: Ho creduto, perciò ho parlato, anche noi crediamo e perciò parliamo,
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].
14 convinti che colui che ha risuscitato il Signore Gesù, risusciterà anche noi con Gesù e ci porrà accanto a lui insieme con voi.
[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.
15 Tutto infatti è per voi, perché la grazia, ancora più abbondante ad opera di un maggior numero, moltiplichi l'inno di lode alla gloria di Dio.
[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].
16 Per questo non ci scoraggiamo, ma se anche il nostro uomo esteriore si va disfacendo, quello interiore si rinnova di giorno in giorno.
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.
17 Infatti il momentaneo, leggero peso della nostra tribolazione, ci procura una quantità smisurata ed eterna di gloria, (aiōnios g166)
[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)
18 perché noi non fissiamo lo sguardo sulle cose visibili, ma su quelle invisibili. Le cose visibili sono d'un momento, quelle invisibili sono eterne. (aiōnios g166)
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)
