2 Corinthians 4:7-5:11

New King James Version

Cast Down but Unconquered

⁷ But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, ^(A)that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. ⁸ We are ^(B)hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not ^(C)forsaken; ^(D)struck down, but not destroyed— ^10 (E)always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, ^(F)that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. ¹¹ For we who live ^(G)are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. ¹² So then death is working in us, but life in you.

¹³ And since we have ^(H)the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, ^(I)“I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also believe and therefore speak, ¹⁴ knowing that ^(J)He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. ¹⁵ For ^(K)all things are for your sakes, that ^(L)grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.

Seeing the Invisible

¹⁶ Therefore we ^(M)do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is ^(N)being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For ^(O)our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, ^18 (P)while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Assurance of the Resurrection

5 For we know that if ^(Q)our earthly ^[a]house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house ^(R)not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. ² For in this ^(S)we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our ^[b]habitation which is from heaven, ³ if indeed, ^(T)having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. ⁴ For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, ^(U)but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. ⁵ Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also ^(V)has given us the Spirit as ^[c]a guarantee.

⁶ So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. ⁷ For ^(W)we walk by faith, not by sight. ⁸ We are confident, yes, ^(X)well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.

The Judgment Seat of Christ

⁹ Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. ^10 (Y)For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, ^(Z)that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. ¹¹ Knowing, therefore, ^(AA)the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.