| Holman Christian Standard Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1Therefore, since we have this ministry because we were shown mercy, we do not give up. | 1Therefore, since we have this ministry through the mercy shown to us, we do not get discouraged. |
| 2Instead, we have renounced shameful secret things, not walking in deceit or distorting God's message, but commending ourselves to every person's conscience in God's sight by an open display of the truth. | 2Instead, we have renounced secret and shameful ways. We do not use trickery or pervert God's word. By clear statements of the truth we commend ourselves to everyone's conscience before God. |
| 3But if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. | 3So if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are dying. |
| 4In their case, the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. | 4In their case, the god of this world has blinded the minds of those who do not believe to keep them from seeing the light of the glorious gospel of the Messiah, who is the image of God. |
| 5For we are not proclaiming ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves because of Jesus. | 5For we do not preach ourselves, but rather Jesus the Messiah as Lord, and ourselves as merely your servants for Jesus' sake. |
| 6For God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God's glory in the face of Jesus Christ. | 6For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God's glory in the face of Jesus the Messiah. |
| 7Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us. | 7But we have this treasure in clay jars to show that its extraordinary power comes from God and not from us. |
| 8We are pressured in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; | 8In every way we're troubled but not crushed, frustrated but not in despair, |
| 9we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed. | 9persecuted but not abandoned, struck down but not destroyed. |
| 10We always carry the death of Jesus in our body, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. | 10We are always carrying around the death of Jesus in our bodies, so that the life of Jesus may be clearly shown in our bodies. |
| 11For we who live are always given over to death because of Jesus, so that Jesus' life may also be revealed in our mortal flesh. | 11While we are alive, we are constantly being handed over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus may be clearly shown in our mortal bodies. |
| 12So death works in us, but life in you. | 12And so death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. |
| 13And since we have the same spirit of faith in keeping with what is written, I believed, therefore I spoke, we also believe, and therefore speak. | 13Now since we have the same spirit of faith in keeping with this Scripture: "I believed, and so I spoke," we also believe and therefore speak. |
| 14We know that the One who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and present us with you. | 14We know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and present us to God together with you. |
| 15Indeed, everything is for your benefit, so that grace, extended through more and more people, may cause thanksgiving to increase to God's glory. | 15All this is for your sake so that, as his grace spreads, more and more people will give thanks and glorify God. |
| 16Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day. | 16That's why we are not discouraged. No, even if outwardly we are wearing out, inwardly we are being renewed each and every day. |
| 17For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. | 17This light, temporary nature of our suffering is producing for us an everlasting weight of glory, far beyond any comparison, |
| 18So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. | 18because we do not look for things that can be seen but for things that cannot be seen. For things that can be seen are temporary, but things that cannot be seen are eternal. |
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