New Covenant Ministry

¹Now, it’s because of God’s mercy that we have been entrusted with the privilege of this new covenant ministry. And we will not quit or faint with weariness.[#4:1 Or “God has mercied us.” The Aramaic can be translated “God’s mercy rests on us.”]

²We reject every shameful cover-up and refuse to resort to cunning trickery or distorting the Word of God. Instead, we open up our souls to you by presenting the truth to everyone’s conscience in the sight and presence of God.[#4:2 Or “handle the word of God dishonestly.”; #4:2 As translated from the Aramaic. The Greek is “we commend ourselves.”]

³Even if our gospel message is veiled, it is only veiled to those who are perishing,

⁴for their minds have been blinded by the god of this age, leaving them in unbelief. Their blindness keeps them from seeing the dayspring light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the divine image of God.[#4:4 Satan is called the god of this age. He uses trickery, deceit, accusation, and slander to blind people’s hearts. See John 8:44; 12:31; 14:30; Eph. 2:2.; #4:4 The Aramaic can be translated “the flame of the good news.”]

⁵We don’t preach ourselves, but rather the lordship of Jesus Christ, for we are your servants for Jesus’ sake.

⁶For God, who said,

is the one who has cascaded his light into us—the brilliant dawning light of the glorious knowledge of God as we gaze into the face of Jesus Christ.

Treasure in Clay Jars

⁷We are like common clay jars that carry this glorious treasure within, so that this immeasurable power will be seen as God’s, not ours.[#4:7 This verse begins a long and complicated Greek sentence that ends with v. 10. Paul uses figurative language to say that we are common clay jars (created from dust/clay) yet we possess the brilliant light of God’s glory, Jesus Christ, and carry him as treasure in our being. The outward vessel is not as important as the glorious treasure within. The metaphors here may allude to Gideon’s clay pots that had burning torches inside ( Judg. 7:16).]

⁸Though we experience every kind of pressure, we’re not crushed. At times we don’t know what to do, but quitting is not an option.[#4:8 Or “perplexed but not thoroughly perplexed.” The Aramaic can be translated “We are corrected but not condemned.”]

⁹We are persecuted by others, but God has not forsaken us. We may be knocked down, but not out.

¹⁰We continually share in the death of Jesus in our own bodies so that the resurrection life of Jesus will be revealed through our humanity.[#4:10 Or “carry about in the body the death of Jesus.”]

¹¹We consider living to mean that we are constantly being handed over to death for Jesus’ sake so that the life of Jesus will be revealed through our humanity.

¹²So, then, death is at work in us but it releases life in you.

¹³We have the same Spirit of faith that is described in the Scriptures when it says,

So we also first believe then speak in faith.

¹⁴We do this because we are convinced that he who raised Jesus will raise us up with him, and together we will all be brought into his presence.

¹⁵Yes, all things work for your enrichment so that more of God’s marvelous grace will spread to more and more people, resulting in an even greater increase of praise to God, bringing him even more glory![#4:15 See Rom. 8:28.; #4:15 Or “to cause thanksgiving to superabound.”]

¹⁶So no wonder we don’t give up. For even though our outer person gradually wears out, our inner being is renewed every single day.

¹⁷We view our slight, short-lived troubles in the light of eternity. We see our difficulties as the substance that produces for us an eternal, weighty glory far beyond all comparison,

¹⁸because we don’t focus our attention on what is seen but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but the unseen realm is eternal.