2 Corinthians 4

¹³But as for you, brothers, do not grow weary in well-doing.

⁹Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

¹³So I ask you not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.

³Without growing weary, you have persevered and endured many things for the sake of My name.

¹³I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.

⁷I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace, given me through the working of His power.

⁸Though I am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,

¹⁷For we are not like so many others, who peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as men sent from God.

³For our appeal does not arise from deceit or ulterior motives or trickery.

⁴Instead, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, not in order to please men but God, who examines our hearts.

¹¹Therefore, since we know what it means to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is clear to God, and I hope it is clear to your conscience as well.

¹³For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.

¹⁴And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.

⁵Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.

⁴Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships, and calamities;

⁵in beatings, imprisonments, and riots; in labor, sleepless nights, and hunger;

¹⁸For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

¹⁴But their minds were closed. For to this day the same veil remains at the reading of the old covenant. It has not been lifted, because only in Christ can it be removed.

⁹The coming of the lawless one will be accompanied by the working of Satan, with every kind of power, sign, and false wonder,

¹⁰and with every wicked deception directed against those who are perishing, because they refused the love of the truth that would have saved them.

¹⁵For we are to God the sweet aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.

¹⁶To the one we are an odor that brings death, to the other a fragrance that brings life. And who is qualified for such a task?

²⁵At that time Jesus declared, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.

⁴The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

⁴⁰“He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so that they cannot see with their eyes, and understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.”

¹⁴But their minds were closed. For to this day the same veil remains at the reading of the old covenant. It has not been lifted, because only in Christ can it be removed.

¹⁸to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those sanctified by faith in Me.’

¹⁰Make the hearts of this people calloused; deafen their ears and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”

¹⁹We know that we are of God, and that the whole world is under the power of the evil one.

⁶For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

⁵As you know, we never used words of flattery or any pretext for greed. God is our witness!

⁶Nor did we seek praise from you or from anyone else, although as apostles of Christ we had authority to demand it.

²⁴Not that we lord it over your faith, but we are fellow workers with you for your joy, because it is by faith that you stand firm.

²³but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,

¹³For you, brothers, were called to freedom; but do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. Rather, serve one another in love.

¹⁴For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that One died for all, therefore all died.

¹⁵And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and was raised again.

¹¹and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

²For behold, darkness covers the earth, and thick darkness is over the peoples; but the Lord will rise upon you, and His glory will appear over you.

³And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

⁹But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

¹⁹We also have the word of the prophets as confirmed beyond doubt. And you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

⁸For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light,

⁴The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

⁵Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim that anything comes from us, but our competence comes from God.

⁶And He has qualified us as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

¹For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is dismantled, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.

⁸For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God,

⁹not by works, so that no one can boast.

²⁸He chose the lowly and despised things of the world, and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are,

³in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

³I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling.

⁴My message and my preaching were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power,

²Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds,

³because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.

³⁵Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

³⁶As it is written: “For Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

¹²Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial that has come upon you, as though something strange were happening to you.

¹³But rejoice that you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed at the revelation of His glory.

¹⁰That is why, for the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

²My enemies pursue me all day long, for many proudly assail me.

³When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.

⁵For when we arrived in Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were pressed from every direction—conflicts on the outside, fears within.

²When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you go through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched; the flames will not set you ablaze.

⁸Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will arise; though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light.

²⁴Though he falls, he will not be overwhelmed, for the Lord is holding his hand.

²⁵I once was young and now am old, yet never have I seen the righteous abandoned or their children begging for bread.

¹⁶For though a righteous man may fall seven times, he still gets up; but the wicked stumble in bad times.

¹¹Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why the unease within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.

⁴No longer will you be called Forsaken, nor your land named Desolate; but you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the Lord will take delight in you, and your land will be His bride.

⁵For if we have been united with Him like this in His death, we will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection.

¹¹This is a trustworthy saying: If we died with Him, we will also live with Him;

¹³But rejoice that you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed at the revelation of His glory.

⁸Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him.

¹⁰I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to Him in His death,

¹¹and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

¹⁷And if we are children, then we are heirs: heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with Him, so that we may also be glorified with Him.

¹⁸I consider that our present sufferings are not comparable to the glory that will be revealed in us.

⁴⁹And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so also shall we bear the likeness of the heavenly man.

⁵³For the perishable must be clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.

⁵⁴When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come to pass: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

²²Yet for Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.

³⁶As it is written: “For Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

³¹I face death every day, brothers, as surely as I boast about you in Christ Jesus our Lord.

¹¹And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you.

⁹In fact, we rejoice when we are weak but you are strong, and our prayer is for your perfection.

¹⁰We are fools for Christ, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honored, but we are dishonored.

¹⁶By this we know what love is: Jesus laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.

²⁴But I consider my life of no value to me, if only I may finish my course and complete the ministry I have received from the Lord Jesus—the ministry of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

¹⁷But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.

¹⁵And for the sake of your souls, I will most gladly spend my money and myself. If I love you more, will you love me less?

¹⁰I believed, therefore I said, “I am greatly afflicted.”

¹Now faith is the assurance of what we hope for and the certainty of what we do not see.

²This is why the ancients were commended.

¹²Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold.

²⁸A lying witness will perish, but the man who listens to truth will speak forever.

⁹to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit,

¹Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours:

¹¹And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you.

¹⁴For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, we also believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.

¹⁴By His power God raised the Lord from the dead, and He will raise us also.

²⁵Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies.

²⁶And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”

²⁴Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you unblemished in His glorious presence, with great joy—

¹For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is dismantled, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.

²For in this tent we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling,

²⁸And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.

²⁰Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us,

²¹to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

¹¹You will be enriched in every way to be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will produce thanksgiving to God.

¹²For this ministry of service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanksgiving to God.

²³He who sacrifices a thank offering honors Me, and to him who rightly orders his way, I will show the salvation of God.”

¹¹as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the favor shown us in answer to their prayers.

¹⁹More than that, this brother was chosen by the churches to accompany us with the gracious offering we administer to honor the Lord Himself and to show our eagerness to help.

³¹But those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.

¹⁰and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

²⁹He gives power to the faint and increases the strength of the weak.

²Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

²⁶My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

¹Therefore, since God in His mercy has given us this ministry, we do not lose heart.

¹⁸I consider that our present sufferings are not comparable to the glory that will be revealed in us.

¹⁰And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore you, secure you, strengthen you, and establish you.

³Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;

⁴perseverance, character; and character, hope.

¹²Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.

¹⁰Our fathers disciplined us for a short time as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in His holiness.

¹¹No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who have been trained by it.

³because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.

⁴Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

⁷For we walk by faith, not by sight.

²⁴For in this hope we were saved; but hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he can already see?

²⁵But if we hope for what we do not yet see, we wait for it patiently.

¹Now faith is the assurance of what we hope for and the certainty of what we do not see.

¹⁶For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world.

¹⁷The world is passing away, along with its desires; but whoever does the will of God remains forever.

²⁵And this is the promise that He Himself made to us: eternal life.

¹³All these people died in faith, without having received the things they were promised. However, they saw them and welcomed them from afar. And they acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.