Therefore seeing we have this ministry, even as we obtained mercy, we faint not:
but we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
And even if our {See marginal note on chapter 2:12.}gospel is veiled, it is veiled in them that {Or, are perishing}perish:
in whom the god of this {Or, age}world hath blinded the {Greek: thoughts. Chapter 4:4, 11:3}minds of the unbelieving, {Or, that they should not see the light…image of God}that the {Greek: illumination.}light of the {See marginal note on chapter 2:12.}gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn upon them.
For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your {Greek: bondservants. Compare 1 Corinthians 9:19.}servants {Some ancient authorities read through Jesus.}for Jesus' sake.
Seeing it is God, that said, {Genesis 1:3.}Light shall shine out of darkness, who shined in our hearts, to give the {Greek: illumination.}light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves;
we are pressed on every side, yet not straitened; perplexed, yet not unto despair;
pursued, yet not {Or, left behind}forsaken; smitten down, yet not destroyed;
always bearing about in the body the {Greek: putting to death.}dying of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our body.
For we who live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
So then death worketh in us, but life in you.
But having the same spirit of faith, according to that which is written, {Psalms 116:10.}I believed, and therefore did I speak; we also believe, and therefore also we speak;
knowing that he that raised up {Some ancient authorities omit the Lord.}the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also with Jesus, and shall present us with you.
For all things are for your sakes, that the grace, being multiplied through {Greek: the more.}the many, may cause the thanksgiving to abound unto the glory of God.
Wherefore we faint not; but though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day.
For our light affliction, which is for the moment, worketh for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory;
while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Querverweise zu 2. Korinther 4,5 2Kor 4,5
I indeed baptize you {Or, with}in water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not {Greek: sufficient.}worthy to bear: he shall baptize you {Or, with}in the Holy Spirit and in fire:
For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you {Greek: through.}by us, even {Greek: through.}by me and Silvanus and Timothy, was not yea and nay, but in him is yea.
Not that we have lordship over your {Or, your faith}faith, but are helpers of your joy: for in faith ye stand fast.
And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elijah? And he saith, I am not. Art thou the prophet? And he answered, No.
They said therefore unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?
He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as {Isaiah 40:3.}said Isaiah the prophet.
But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your teacher, and all ye are brethren.
For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that one died for all, therefore all died;
John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it have been given him from heaven.
Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but, that I am sent before him.
He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, that standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is made full.
He must increase, but I must decrease.
He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is of the earth, and of the earth he speaketh: {Some ancient authorities read he that cometh from heaven beareth witness of what he hath seen and heard.}he that cometh from heaven is above all.
Let {Or, every house}all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly, that God hath made himboth Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom ye crucified.
and he died for all, that they that live should no longer live unto themselves, but unto him who for their sakes died and rose again.
He that speaketh from himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh the glory of him that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.
Him did God exalt {Or, at}with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins.
But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.
Not so shall it be among you: but whosoever would become great among you shall be your {Or, servant}minister;
and whosoever would be first among you shall be your {Greek: bondservant.}servant:
And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this {Or, thing}man? or why fasten ye your eyes on us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made him to walk?
{Many ancient authorities read He sent the word unto.}The word which he sent unto the children of Israel, preaching {Or, the gospel}good tidings of peace by Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all.) —
And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles have lordship over them; and they that have authority over them are called Benefactors.
The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his {Or, Child See Matthew 12:18; Isaiah 42:1; 52:13; 53:11.}Servant Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied before the face of Pilate, when he had determined to release him.
For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; or whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.
But ye shall not be so: but he that is the greater among you, let him become as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.
But there was a certain man, Simon by name, who beforetime in the city used sorcery, and amazed the {Greek: nation.}people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:
For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet.
to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is that power of God which is called Great.
but we preach {Or, a Messiah}Christ crucified, unto Jews a stumblingblock, and unto Gentiles foolishness;
For I have given you an example, that ye also should do as I have done to you.
And when it came to pass that Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and {The Greek word denotes an act of reverence, whether paid to a creature or to the Creator.}worshipped him.
For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
Now we that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
But Peter raised him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.
yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we unto him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through him.
Let each one of us please his neighbor for that which is good, unto edifying.
And when the multitude saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voice, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men.
And they called Barnabas, {Greek: Zeus.}Jupiter; and Paul, {Greek: Hermes.}Mercury, because he was the chief speaker.
And the priest of Jupiter whose temple was before the city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the multitudes.
But when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of it, they rent their garments, and sprang forth among the multitude, crying out
and saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like {Greek: nature.}passions with you, and bring you good tidings, that ye should turn from these vain things unto a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that in them is:
Wherefore I make known unto you, that no man speaking in the Spirit of God saith, Jesus is anathema; and no man can say, Jesus is Lord, but in the Holy Spirit.
For though I was free from all men, I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more.
And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, not being myself under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
to them that are without law, as without law, not being without law to God, but under law to Christ, that I might gain them that are without law.
To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak: I am become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some.
And I do all things for the {See marginal note on chapter 4:15.}gospel's sake, that I may be a joint partaker thereof.
I have therefore my glorying in Christ Jesus in things pertaining to God.
The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is of heaven.
For ye, brethren, were called for freedom; only use not your freedom for an occasion to the flesh, but through love be servants one to another.
For I will not dare to speak of any {Greek: of those things which Christ wrought not through me.}things save those which Christ wrought through me, for the obedience of the {Greek: nations. Compare Matthew 4.15.}Gentiles, by word and deed,
and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sake, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
{Or, Christ is divided! Was Paul crucified for you?}Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized into the name of Paul?
{Some ancient authorities read I give thanks that.}I thank God that I baptized none of you, save Crispus and Gaius;
lest any man should say that ye were baptized into my name.
but we preach {Or, a Messiah}Christ crucified, unto Jews a stumblingblock, and unto Gentiles foolishness;
What then is Apollos? and what is Paul? Ministers through whom ye believed; and each as the Lord gave to him.
I planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
even as I also please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of the many, that they may be saved.
Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:
For neither at any time were we found using words of flattery, as ye know, nor a cloak of covetousness, God is witness;
nor seeking glory of men, neither from you nor from others, when we might have {Or, been burdensome verse 9; Compare 1 Corinthians 9:4 ff.}claimed authority as apostles of Christ.
whose mouths must be stopped; men who overthrow whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.
Tend the flock of God which is among you, {Some ancient authorities omit exercising the oversight.}exercising the oversight, not of constraint, but willingly, {Some ancient authorities omit according to the will of God.}according to the will of God; nor yet for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
neither as lording it over the charge allotted to you, but making yourselves ensamples to the flock.
And when the chief Shepherd shall be manifested, ye shall receive the crown of glory that fadeth not away.
{Or, Likewise...elder; yea, all of you one to another. Gird yourselves with humility}Likewise, ye younger, be subject unto the elder. Yea, all of you gird yourselves with humility, to serve one another: for God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.
And in covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose sentence now from of old lingereth not, and their destruction slumbereth not.