2 Corinthians 4

Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;

1God kindly gave us this job of telling people about Jesus. So we do not give up.

Note"We faint not" in the old wording means "we do not lose heart" or "we do not give up." It is not about fainting from being tired.

2But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.

2We have said no to secret and shameful ways of doing things. We do not trick people. We do not twist God's message. We just tell the truth openly. God sees us, and people know inside that we are honest.

NoteThe old word "dishonesty" here means shameful behavior, not just lying.

3But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

3Maybe our good news seems covered up to some people. If so, it is covered up to those who are dying without God.

4In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

4The god of this world has made their minds blind. So they cannot see the light of the good news. That good news is about how great Christ is. Christ shows us exactly what God is like.

5For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.

5We do not talk about how great we are. We tell people that Jesus Christ is Lord. And we say we are your helpers because of Jesus.

6For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

6God once said, "Let light shine out of the dark." That same God made light shine inside our hearts. Now we can see how great God is when we look at Jesus Christ.

7But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

7We hold this treasure inside plain clay jars. That way everyone can see the great power comes from God, not from us.

Note"Earthen vessels" means jars made of baked clay. Clay jars were cheap and easy to break, but people kept valuable things in them.

8We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

8Trouble presses in on us from every side, but we are not crushed. We do not know what to do next, but we do not give up hope.

9Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

9People hurt us, but God never leaves us. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.

10Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

10Everywhere we go, our bodies carry the dying of Jesus. In this way, people can also see the life of Jesus in us.

11For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

11We are alive, but we are always in danger of dying because of Jesus. This lets people see the life of Jesus in our bodies, which will not last forever.

12So then death worketh in us, but life in you.

12So dying is at work in us. But life is at work in you.

13We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;

13The Bible says, "I believed, so I spoke." We trust God the same way that writer did. So we believe, and we speak too.

14Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.

14We know that God raised the Lord Jesus back to life. God will raise us up with Jesus too. And He will bring us and you together before Him.

15For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.

15All of this is for your good. God's kindness is reaching more and more people. So more and more people will thank Him, and that shows how great God is.

16For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

16That is why we do not give up. Our bodies are wearing out on the outside. But God makes us new on the inside every single day.

17For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

17Our troubles are light, and they last only a short time. They are making something wonderful for us that lasts forever.

18While we look not 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 eternal.

18So we do not stare at the things we can see. We look at the things we cannot see. What we can see lasts only a little while. What we cannot see lasts forever.