| New King James Version | NET Bible |
| 1Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. | 1Therefore, since we have this ministry, just as God has shown us mercy, we do not become discouraged. |
| 2But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. | 2But we have rejected shameful hidden deeds, not behaving with deceptiveness or distorting the word of God, but by open proclamation of the truth we commend ourselves to everyone's conscience before God. |
| 3But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, | 3But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing, |
| 4whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. | 4among whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of those who do not believe so they would not see the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God. |
| 5For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. | 5For we do not proclaim ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus' sake. |
| 6For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. | 6For God, who said "Let light shine out of darkness," is the one who shined in our hearts to give us the light of the glorious knowledge of God in the face of Christ. |
| 7But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. | 7But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that the extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. |
| 8We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; | 8We are experiencing trouble on every side, but are not crushed; we are perplexed, but not driven to despair; |
| 9persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— | 9we are persecuted, but not abandoned; we are knocked down, but not destroyed, |
| 10always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. | 10always carrying around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our body. |
| 11For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. | 11For we who are alive are constantly being handed over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our mortal body. |
| 12So then death is working in us, but life in you. | 12As a result, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. |
| 13And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also believe and therefore speak, | 13But since we have the same spirit of faith as that shown in what has been written, "I believed; therefore I spoke," we also believe, therefore we also speak. |
| 14knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. | 14We do so because we know that the one who raised up Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus and will bring us with you into his presence. |
| 15For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God. | 15For all these things are for your sake, so that the grace that is including more and more people may cause thanksgiving to increase to the glory of God. |
| 16Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. | 16Therefore we do not despair, but even if our physical body is wearing away, our inner person is being renewed day by day. |
| 17For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, | 17For our momentary, light suffering is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison |
| 18while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. | 18because we are not looking at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen. For what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal. |
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