Treasure in Clay Jars
1 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 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.
1 Therefore, seeing that we haue this ministerie, as we haue receiued mercy, we faint not: 2 But haue cast from vs ye clokes of shame, and walke not in craftines, neither handle we the worde of God deceitfully: but in declaration of the trueth we approue our selues to euery mans conscience in the sight of God. 3 If our Gospell bee then hid, it is hid to them that are lost. 4 In whom the God of this world hath blinded the mindes, that is, of the infidels, that the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ, which is the image of God, should not shine vnto them. 5 For we preach not our selues, but Christ Iesus the Lord, and our selues your seruaunts for Iesus sake. 6 For God that commanded the light to shine out of darknesse, is he which hath shined in our hearts, to giue the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ. 7 But we haue this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellencie of that power might be of God, and not of vs. 8 Wee are afflicted on euery side, yet are we not in distresse: we are in doubt, but yet wee despaire not. 9 We are persecuted, but not forsaken: cast downe, but we perish not. 10 Euery where we beare about in our bodie the dying of the Lord Iesus, that the life of Iesus might also be made manifest in our bodies. 11 For we which liue, are alwaies deliuered vnto death for Iesus sake, that the life also of Iesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death worketh in vs, and life in you. 13 And because we haue the same spirite of faith, according as it is written, I beleeued, and therefore haue I spoken, we also beleeue, and therefore speake, 14 Knowing that he which hath raised vp the Lord Iesus, shall raise vs vp also by Iesus, and shall set vs with you. 15 For all thinges are for your sakes, that that most plenteous grace by the thankesgiuing of many, may redound to the praise of God. 16 Therefore we faint not, but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed daily. 17 For our light affliction which is but for a moment, causeth vnto vs a farre most excellent and an eternall waight of glorie: 18 While we looke not on the thinges which are seene, but on the things which are not seene: for the things which are seene, are temporall: but the things which are not seene, are eternall.