Cost and Reward of the Good News
(Parallel teachings: Romans 8:18-25; 2 Corinthians 6:4-10; 1 Corinthians 4:9-13)
(Thematic parallels: Judges 7:16-22)
- 1 Because of this, since we received mercy in having this ministry, we don’t lose heart.
- 2 But we renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor deceitfully corruptingfn“deceitfully corrupting” is one word in Greek. It properly refers to using deceptive bait to ensnare, like concealing a fishhook with a worm, and the resulting corruption that results from being ensnared. the word of God, but in the sight of God are commending ourselves to every conscience of men by the manifestation of the truth.
- 3 But even if our good news is *veiled, it’s *veiled to the men perishing,
- 4 in whom the god of this age blinded the minds of the unbelieving, leading to the light of the good news of the glory of the Anointed – who is the image of Godfnquotation/allusion to Genesis 1:26-27. See also, Hebrews 1:3 – not dawning on them.
- 5 For we don’t preach about ourselves, but about the Anointed Lord Jesus. But we ourselves are your slaves for the sake of Jesus.
- 6 For God is the One who said: “Out of darkness, light will shinefnquotation/allusion to Genesis 1:3“, who shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of [Jesus] the Anointed.
- 7 And we have this treasure in earthen vessels so that the surpassing power might be God’s and not from us.
- 8 We’re hard-pressed in everything, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing;
- 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed;
- 10 Always carrying the death of [the Lord] Jesus in our body, so that the life of Jesus might also be apparent in our body.
- 11 For we – the men living – are continually delivered to death for Jesus’s sake, so that the life of Jesus might also be apparent in our mortal flesh.
- 12 So then death works in us, but life in you.
- 13 But having the same spirit of faith in accordance with what is *written: “I believed, therefore I spoke“fnquotation/allusion to Psalm 116:10 we also believe, therefore we also speak,
- 14 *knowing that the One who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and will present us with you.
- 15 For all things are for your sake, so that the grace which overflowed through more men might result in thanksgiving which overflows to the glory of God.
- 16 Therefore, we don’t lose heart. But even if our outward man decays, yet our inner man is renewed day by day.
- 17 For our momentary, light affliction is producing for us the weight of the glory of ages,fn“of ages” this adjective is typically translated “eternal” here. The noun form refers to a whole time period, such as a person’s lifetime, (e.g., John 8:35) an age/epoch (e.g., 1 Cor 8:13), or even time in its entirety, making its meaning similar to “forever” (e.g., John 14:16). The adjective form is similarly context-dependent, and the New Testament context usually dictates a meaning similar to “forever” (but not always: e.g. 2 Tim 1:9). Alternately or additionally, it can indicate the quality of a time period — indicating greatness/severity — like the English idiom “of ages” (e.g. “battle of the ages”). Thus, “of ages” was chosen to communicate both senses. which is abundantly beyond measure.
- 18 We aren’t keeping our eyes on the things seen, but on the things not seen. For the things being seen only last for a season, but the things not seen last for the ages.fn“ages” see footnote on previous verse.