Bible Gateway passage: 2 Corinthians 4:4-18 - New International Version (2024)

⁴The god^(A) of this age^(B) has blinded^(C) the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ,^(D) who is the image of God.^{(E) 5}For what we preach is not ourselves,^(F) but Jesus Christ as Lord,^(G) and ourselves as your servants^(H) for Jesus’ sake. ⁶For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”^[a](I) made his light shine in our hearts^(J) to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.^(K)

⁷But we have this treasure in jars of clay^(L) to show that this all-surpassing power is from God^(M) and not from us. ⁸We are hard pressed on every side,^(N) but not crushed; perplexed,^(O) but not in despair; ⁹persecuted,^(P) but not abandoned;^(Q) struck down, but not destroyed.^{(R) 10}We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus,^(S) so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.^{(T) 11}For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake,^(U) so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. ¹²So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.^(V)

¹³It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.”^[b](W) Since we have that same spirit of^[c] faith,^(X) we also believe and therefore speak, ¹⁴because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead^(Y) will also raise us with Jesus^(Z) and present us with you to himself.^{(AA) 15}All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving^(AB) to overflow to the glory of God.

¹⁶Therefore we do not lose heart.^(AC) Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly^(AD) we are being renewed^(AE) day by day. ¹⁷For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.^{(AF) 18}So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen,^(AG) since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Footnotes

1. 2 Corinthians 4:6 Gen. 1:3
2. 2 Corinthians 4:13 Psalm 116:10 (see Septuagint)
3. 2 Corinthians 4:13 Or Spirit-given

Cross references

1. 2 Corinthians 4:4 : S Jn 12:31
2. 2 Corinthians 4:4 : S 1Co 1:20
3. 2 Corinthians 4:4 : 2Co 3:14
4. 2 Corinthians 4:4 : ver 6
5. 2 Corinthians 4:4 : S Jn 14:9
6. 2 Corinthians 4:5 : 1Co 1:13
7. 2 Corinthians 4:5 : 1Co 1:23
8. 2 Corinthians 4:5 : 1Co 9:19
9. 2 Corinthians 4:6 : Ge 1:3; Ps 18:28
10. 2 Corinthians 4:6 : 2Pe 1:19
11. 2 Corinthians 4:6 : ver 4
12. 2 Corinthians 4:7 : Job 4:19; Isa 64:8; 2Ti 2:20
13. 2 Corinthians 4:7 : Jdg 7:2; 1Co 2:5; 2Co 6:7
14. 2 Corinthians 4:8 : 2Co 7:5
15. 2 Corinthians 4:8 : Gal 4:20
16. 2 Corinthians 4:9 : Jn 15:20; Ro 8:35
17. 2 Corinthians 4:9 : Heb 13:5
18. 2 Corinthians 4:9 : Ps 37:24; Pr 24:16
19. 2 Corinthians 4:10 : S Ro 6:6; S 2Co 1:5
20. 2 Corinthians 4:10 : S Ro 6:5
21. 2 Corinthians 4:11 : Ro 8:36
22. 2 Corinthians 4:12 : 2Co 13:9
23. 2 Corinthians 4:13 : Ps 116:10
24. 2 Corinthians 4:13 : 1Co 12:9
25. 2 Corinthians 4:14 : S Ac 2:24
26. 2 Corinthians 4:14 : 1Th 4:14
27. 2 Corinthians 4:14 : Eph 5:27; Col 1:22; Jude 24
28. 2 Corinthians 4:15 : 2Co 1:11; 9:11
29. 2 Corinthians 4:16 : ver 1; Ps 18:45
30. 2 Corinthians 4:16 : Ro 7:22
31. 2 Corinthians 4:16 : Ps 103:5; Isa 40:31; Col 3:10
32. 2 Corinthians 4:17 : Ps 30:5; Ro 8:18; 1Pe 1:6, 7
33. 2 Corinthians 4:18 : 2Co 5:7; Ro 8:24; Heb 11:1