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2 Corinthians 4-6
Contemporary English Version
2 Corinthians 4-6
Contemporary English Version
Treasure in Clay Jars
4 God has been kind enough to trust us with this work. This is why we never give up. 2 We don't do shameful things that must be kept secret. And we don't try to fool anyone or twist God's message around. God is our witness that we speak only the truth, so others will be sure we can be trusted. 3 If there is anything hidden about our message, it is hidden only to someone who is lost.
4 The god who rules this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers. They cannot see the light, which is the good news about our glorious Christ, who shows what God is like. 5 We are not preaching about ourselves. Our message is that Jesus Christ is Lord. He also sent us to be your servants. 6 (A) The Scriptures say, “God commanded light to shine in the dark.” Now God is shining in our hearts to let you know that his glory is seen in Jesus Christ.
7 We are like clay jars in which this treasure is stored. The real power comes from God and not from us. 8 We often suffer, but we are never crushed. Even when we don't know what to do, we never give up. 9 In times of trouble, God is with us, and when we are knocked down, we get up again. 10-11 We face death every day because of Jesus. Our bodies show what his death was like, so his life can also be seen in us. 12 This means that death is working in us, but life is working in you.
13 In the Scriptures it says, “I spoke because I had faith.” We have this same kind of faith. So we speak 14 because we know that God raised the Lord Jesus to life. And just as God raised Jesus, he will also raise us to life. Then he will bring us into his presence together with you. 15 All of this has been done for you, so more and more people will know how kind God is and will praise and honor him.
Faith in the Lord
16 We never give up. Our bodies are gradually dying, but we ourselves are being made stronger each day. 17 These little troubles are getting us ready for an eternal glory that will make all our troubles seem like nothing. 18 Things that are seen don't last forever, but things that are not seen are eternal. This is why we keep our minds on the things that cannot be seen.
5 (B) Our bodies are like tents that we live in here on earth. But when these tents are destroyed, we know that God will give each of us a place to live. These homes will not be buildings someone has made, but they are in heaven and will last forever. 2 While we are here on earth, we sigh because we want to live in that heavenly home. 3 We want to put it on like clothes and not be naked.
4 These tents we now live in are like a heavy burden, and we groan. But we don't do this just because we want to leave these bodies that will die. It is because we want to change them for bodies that will never die. 5 God is the one who makes all this possible. He has given us his Spirit to make us certain he will do it. 6 So always be cheerful!
As long as we are in these bodies, we are away from the Lord. 7 But we live by faith, not by what we see. 8 We should be cheerful, because we would rather leave these bodies and be at home with the Lord. 9 But whether we are at home with the Lord or away from him, we still try our best to please him. 10 (C) After all, Christ will judge each of us for the good or the bad that we do while living in these bodies.
Bringing People to God
11 We know what it means to respect the Lord, and we encourage everyone to turn to him. God himself knows what we are like, and I hope you also know what kind of people we are. 12 We are not trying once more to brag about ourselves. But we want you to be proud of us, when you are with those who are not sincere and brag about what others think of them.
13 If we seem out of our minds, it is between God and us. But if we are in our right minds, it is for your good. 14 We are ruled by Christ's love for us. We are certain that if one person died for everyone else, then all of us have died. 15 And Christ did die for all of us. He died so we would no longer live for ourselves, but for the one who died and was raised to life for us.
16 We are careful not to judge people by what they seem to be, though we once judged Christ in this way. 17 Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new. 18 God has done it all! He sent Christ to make peace between himself and us, and he has given us the work of making peace between himself and others.
19 What we mean is that God was in Christ, offering peace and forgiveness to the people of this world. And he has given us the work of sharing his message about peace. 20 We were sent to speak for Christ, and God is begging you to listen to our message. We speak for Christ and sincerely ask you to make peace with God. 21 Christ never sinned! But God treated him as a sinner, so Christ could make us acceptable to God.
6 We work together with God, and we beg you to make good use of God's gift of undeserved grace. 2 (D) In the Scriptures God says,
“When the time came,
I listened to you,
and when you needed help,
I came to save you.”
That time has come. This is the day for you to be saved.
3 We don't want anyone to find fault with our work, and so we try hard not to cause problems. 4 But in everything and in every way we show we truly are God's servants. We have always been patient, though we have had a lot of trouble, suffering, and hard times. 5 (E) We have been beaten, put in jail, and hurt in riots. We have worked hard and have gone without sleep or food. 6 But we have kept ourselves pure and have been understanding, patient, and kind. The Holy Spirit has been with us, and our love has been real. 7 We have spoken the truth, and God's power has worked in us. In all our struggles we have said and done only what is right.
8 Whether we were honored or dishonored or praised or cursed, we always told the truth about ourselves. But some people said we did not. 9 We are unknown to others, but well known to you. We seem to be dying, and yet we are still alive. We have been punished, but never killed, 10 and we are always happy, even in times of suffering. Although we are poor, we have made many people rich. And though we own nothing, everything is ours.
11 Friends in Corinth, we are telling the truth when we say there is room in our hearts for you. 12 We are not holding back on our love for you, but you are holding back on your love for us. 13 I speak to you as I would speak to my own children. Please make room in your hearts for us.
The Temple of the Living God
14 Stay away from people who are not followers of the Lord! Can someone who is good get along with someone who is evil? Are light and darkness the same? 15 Is Christ a friend of Satan?[a] Can people who follow the Lord have anything in common with those who don't? 16 (F) Do idols belong in the temple of God? We are the temple of the living God, as God himself says,
“I will live with these people
and walk among them.
I will be their God,
and they will be
my people.”
17 (G) The Lord also says,
“Leave them and stay away!
Don't touch anything
that isn't clean.
Then I will welcome you
18 (H) and be your Father.
You will be my sons
and my daughters,
as surely as I am God,
the All-Powerful.”
Footnotes
- 6.15 Satan: The Greek text has “Beliar,” which is another form of the Hebrew word “Belial,” meaning “wicked” or “useless.” The Jewish people sometimes used this as a name for Satan.
2 Corinthians 4-6
New International Version
2 Corinthians 4-6
New International Version
Present Weakness and Resurrection Life
4 Therefore, since through God’s mercy(A) we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.(B) 2 Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways;(C) we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God.(D) On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience(E) in the sight of God. 3 And even if our gospel(F) is veiled,(G) it is veiled to those who are perishing.(H) 4 The god(I) of this age(J) has blinded(K) the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ,(L) who is the image of God.(M) 5 For what we preach is not ourselves,(N) but Jesus Christ as Lord,(O) and ourselves as your servants(P) for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”[a](Q) made his light shine in our hearts(R) to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.(S)
7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay(T) to show that this all-surpassing power is from God(U) and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side,(V) but not crushed; perplexed,(W) but not in despair; 9 persecuted,(X) but not abandoned;(Y) struck down, but not destroyed.(Z) 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus,(AA) so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.(AB) 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake,(AC) so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.(AD)
13 It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.”[b](AE) Since we have that same spirit of[c] faith,(AF) we also believe and therefore speak, 14 because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead(AG) will also raise us with Jesus(AH) and present us with you to himself.(AI) 15 All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving(AJ) to overflow to the glory of God.
16 Therefore we do not lose heart.(AK) Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly(AL) we are being renewed(AM) day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.(AN) 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen,(AO) since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Awaiting the New Body
5 For we know that if the earthly(AP) tent(AQ) we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. 2 Meanwhile we groan,(AR) longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling,(AS) 3 because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. 4 For while we are in this tent, we groan(AT) and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling,(AU) so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.(AV)
6 Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7 For we live by faith, not by sight.(AW) 8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.(AX) 9 So we make it our goal to please him,(AY) whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us(AZ) for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
The Ministry of Reconciliation
11 Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord,(BA) we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience.(BB) 12 We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again,(BC) but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us,(BD) so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. 13 If we are “out of our mind,”(BE) as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.(BF) 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves(BG) but for him who died for them(BH) and was raised again.
16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly(BI) point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ,(BJ) the new creation(BK) has come:[d] The old has gone, the new is here!(BL) 18 All this is from God,(BM) who reconciled us to himself through Christ(BN) and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them.(BO) And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors,(BP) as though God were making his appeal through us.(BQ) We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.(BR) 21 God made him who had no sin(BS) to be sin[e] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.(BT)
6 As God’s co-workers(BU) we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain.(BV) 2 For he says,
I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.
Paul’s Hardships
3 We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path,(BX) so that our ministry will not be discredited. 4 Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; 5 in beatings, imprisonments(BY) and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger;(BZ) 6 in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit(CA) and in sincere love;(CB) 7 in truthful speech(CC) and in the power of God;(CD) with weapons of righteousness(CE) in the right hand and in the left; 8 through glory and dishonor,(CF) bad report(CG) and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors;(CH) 9 known, yet regarded as unknown; dying,(CI) and yet we live on;(CJ) beaten, and yet not killed; 10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing;(CK) poor, yet making many rich;(CL) having nothing,(CM) and yet possessing everything.(CN)
11 We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you.(CO) 12 We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. 13 As a fair exchange—I speak as to my children(CP)—open wide your hearts(CQ) also.
Warning Against Idolatry
14 Do not be yoked together(CR) with unbelievers.(CS) For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?(CT) 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial[g]?(CU) Or what does a believer(CV) have in common with an unbeliever?(CW) 16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols?(CX) For we are the temple(CY) of the living God.(CZ) As God has said:
“I will live with them
and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
and they will be my people.”[h](DA)
17 Therefore,
“Come out from them(DB)
and be separate,
says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing,
and I will receive you.”[i](DC)
18 And,
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 4:6 Gen. 1:3
- 2 Corinthians 4:13 Psalm 116:10 (see Septuagint)
- 2 Corinthians 4:13 Or Spirit-given
- 2 Corinthians 5:17 Or Christ, that person is a new creation.
- 2 Corinthians 5:21 Or be a sin offering
- 2 Corinthians 6:2 Isaiah 49:8
- 2 Corinthians 6:15 Greek Beliar, a variant of Belial
- 2 Corinthians 6:16 Lev. 26:12; Jer. 32:38; Ezek. 37:27
- 2 Corinthians 6:17 Isaiah 52:11; Ezek. 20:34,41
- 2 Corinthians 6:18 2 Samuel 7:14; 7:8
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