| Holman Christian Standard Bible | NET Bible |
| 1Therefore, since we have this ministry because we were shown mercy, we do not give up. | 1Therefore, since we have this ministry, just as God has shown us mercy, we do not become 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. | 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 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, |
| 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. | 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 are not proclaiming ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves because of Jesus. | 5For we do not proclaim ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves 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," is the one who shined in our hearts to give us the light of the glorious knowledge of God in the face of Christ. |
| 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, so that the extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. |
| 8We are pressured in every way but 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; |
| 9we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed. | 9we are persecuted, but not abandoned; we are knocked 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. | 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 given over to death because of Jesus, so that Jesus' life may also be revealed 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 death works 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 in keeping with what is written, I believed, 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. |
| 14We know that the One who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and 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. |
| 15Indeed, everything is for your benefit, so that grace, extended through more and more people, may cause thanksgiving to increase to God's glory. | 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 give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person 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 momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. | 17For our momentary, light suffering is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all 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 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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