2 Corinthians 4-6

21st Century King James Version

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

² but have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the Word of God deceitfully; but by manifesting the truth we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.

³ But if our Gospel be hid, it is hid to those who are lost,

⁴ whose unbelieving minds the god of this world hath blinded, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

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

⁶ For 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

¹⁴ knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise us up also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.

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

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

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

¹⁸ while 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.

5 For we know that if our earthly house, this tabernacle, were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

² For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed about with our house which is from Heaven,

³ that, being so clothed, we shall not be found naked.

⁴ For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened, not because we would be unclothed, but clothed about, that mortality might be swallowed up by life.

⁵ Now He that hath wrought us for this selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the pledge of the Spirit.

⁶ Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord;

⁷ for we walk by faith, not by sight.

⁸ We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.

⁹ Therefore we labor, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted by Him.

¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

¹¹ Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God, and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.

¹² For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have something to answer those who glory in appearance and not in heart.

¹³ For if we be beside ourselves, it is for God; if we be soberminded, it is for your cause.

¹⁴ For the love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge that if One died for all, then all were dead;

¹⁵ and that He died for all, that those who live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him who died for them and rose again.

¹⁶ Therefore, henceforth know we no man according to the flesh; yea, though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now henceforth we know Him so no more.

¹⁷ Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things have become new.

¹⁸ And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation,

¹⁹ to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and hath committed unto us the Word of reconciliation.

²⁰ Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were beseeching you by us: we pray you on Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.

²¹ For He hath made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.

6 We then, as workers together with Him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.

² (For He saith, “I have heard thee at an accepted time, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee.” Behold, now is the accepted time! Behold, now is the day of salvation!)

³ Give no offense in anything, that the ministry be not blamed;

⁴ but in all things commending ourselves as the ministers of God in much patience: in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,

⁵ in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings;

⁶ by pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,

⁷ by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left;

⁸ through honor and dishonor, through evil report and good report; though counted as deceivers and yet true,

⁹ as unknown and yet well known, as dying and yet behold we live, as chastened and not killed,

¹⁰ as sorrowful yet always rejoicing; as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing and yet possessing all things.

¹¹ O ye Corinthians, our mouth is opened unto you, and our heart is enlarged.

¹² Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own affections.

¹³ Now as a recompense for this (I speak as unto my children), be ye also enlarged.

¹⁴ Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers, for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness?

¹⁵ And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

¹⁶ And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God. As God hath said: “I will dwell in them and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”

¹⁷ Therefore, “Come out from among them, and be ye separate,” saith the Lord. “And touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you,

¹⁸ and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters,” saith the Lord Almighty.