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 7:2-22)
- 1 Because of this, having this ministry just as we received mercy, 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 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 obviousness 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, in order for the illumination of the good news of the glory of the Anointed – who is the image of Godfnquotation/allusion to Genesis 1:26-27 (also quoted/alluded to by 1 Cor 11:7; Eph 4:24; Col 3:10; Jas 3:9). Also see Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3 – not to dawn [on them].
- 5 For we don’t preach about ourselves, but about the Anointed Jesus as Lord. 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; Isaiah 9:2 (also quoted/alluded to by Matt 4:16; Luke 1:79)“, who shone in our hearts to give the illumination 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 extraordinary 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 around in our body the dying that [the Lord] Jesus underwent, so that the life of Jesus might also be obvious 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 obvious in our mortal flesh.
- 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life in you.
- 13 But having the same spirit of faith in accordance with what’s *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 withfn“with” many later manuscripts have “through” here. Jesus and will present us with you.
- 15 For all things are for your sake, so that the grace which abounded through more men might cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.
- 16 Therefore, we don’t lose heart. But even if our outer man is decaying, 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” is typically translated “eternal” here; see glossary. which is extraordinary beyond measure!fn“extraordinary beyond measure” is literally “extraordinary to the extraordinary”, using the same word twice. However “beyond measure” is another legitimate translation of the word, and so it was used for readability.
- 18 We aren’t keeping our eyes on the things being seen, but on the things not being seen. For the things being seen only last for a season, but the things not being seen last for the ages.fn“last for the ages” is typically translated “are eternal” here; see glossary.