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 4,7 2Kor 4,7
Therefore seeing we have this ministry, even as we obtained mercy, we faint not:
For we know that if the earthly house of our {Or, bodily frame Compare Wisd. 9:15}tabernacle be dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens.
not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God;
as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
For, His letters, they say, are weighty and strong; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account.
who also made us sufficient as ministers of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
The kingdom of heaven is like unto a treasure hidden in the field; which a man found, and hid; and {Or, for joy thereof}in his joy he goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man telling a dream unto his fellow; and he said, Behold, I dreamed a dream; and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian, and came unto the tent, and smote it so that it fell, and turned it upside down, so that the tent lay flat.
And by reason of the exceeding greatness of the {Some ancient authorities read revelations—wherefore, that &c.}revelations, that I should not be exalted overmuch, there was given to me a {Or, stake}thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, that I should not be exalted overmuch.
Concerning this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
And he hath said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my power is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may {Or, cover me Greek: spread a tabernacle over me. See Revelation 7:15.}rest upon me.
And he said unto them, Therefore every scribe who hath been made a disciple to the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a householder, who bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.
And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: into his hand God hath delivered Midian, and all the host.
for he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth through the power of God. For we also are weak {Many ancient authorities read with.}in him, but we shall live with him through the power of God toward you.
Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, was this grace given, to {Greek: bring good tidings of the &c. Compare chapter 2:17.}preach unto the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put into the hands of all of them trumpets, and empty pitchers, with torches within the pitchers.
And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outermost part of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do.
When I blow the trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, For Jehovah and for Gideon.
So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outermost part of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch, when they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake in pieces the pitchers that were in their hands.
And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the torches in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands wherewith to blow; and they cried, {Or, A sword for &c.}The sword of Jehovah and of Gideon.
And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
And my {Or, word}speech and my {Greek: thing preached.}preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
that your faith should not {Greek: be.}stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
to whom God was pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
The precious sons of Zion, {Hebrew: that may be weighted against.}comparable to fine gold,How are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!
and what the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to that working of the strength of his might
in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden.
and the base things of the world, and the things that are despised, did God choose, yea {Many ancient authorities omit and.}and the things that are not, that he might bring to nought the things that are:
which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places,
For, I think, God hath set forth us the apostles last of all, as men doomed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, {Or, and to angels, and to men}both to angels and men.
We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye have glory, but we have dishonor.
Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling-place;
and we toil, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure;
being defamed, we entreat: we are made as the {Or, refuse}filth of the world, the offscouring of all things, even until now.
even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together {Some ancient authorities read in Christ.}with Christ (by grace have ye been saved),
but ye know that because of an infirmity of the flesh I {See marginal note on chapter 1:8.}preached the gospel unto you the {Greek: former.}first time:
for by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
and that which was a temptation to you in my flesh ye despised not, nor {Greek: spat out.}rejected; but ye received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.
not of works, that no man should glory.
Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some unto honor, and some unto dishonor.
having been buried with him in baptism, wherein ye were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.
{Or, because our gospel & c.}how that our {Greek: good tidings: and so elsewhere; see marginal note on Matthew 4:23.}gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and in much {Or, fulness}assurance; even as ye know what manner of men we showed ourselves toward you for your sake.