| New King James Version | New International Version |
| 1Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. | 1Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. |
| 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. | 2Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. |
| 3But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, | 3And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled 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. | 4The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory 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 what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants 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," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God's glory displayed 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 jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. |
| 8We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; | 8We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; |
| 9persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— | 9persecuted, but not abandoned; struck 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. | 10We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed 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 always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. |
| 12So then death is working in us, but life in you. | 12So then, 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, | 13It is written: "I believed; therefore I have spoken." Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak, |
| 14knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. | 14because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. |
| 15For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God. | 15All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow 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 lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are 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 light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. |
| 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. | 18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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