But it isn't easy

1Therefore, since we have received mercy along with this ministry, we do not lose heart.

2Rather, we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in deception nor falsifying the Word of God, ⁴⁵but by the open proclamation of the Truth ⁴⁶commending ourselves to every man's conscience, in the sight of God.

3So where our Gospel has actually been concealed, it has been hidden from those who are being wasted,

4among whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, ⁴⁷so that the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn on them.

5Now we do not proclaim ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Sovereign, ⁴⁸and ourselves as your servants ⁴⁹for Jesus' sake;

6because the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness ⁵⁰is He who shined in our hearts to give the light that comes from the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. ⁵¹

7Further, we have this treasure in jars of clay, ⁵²so that this all-surpassing power may be of God and not from ourselves ⁵³

8—we are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;

9persecuted, yet not abandoned; knocked down, but not out; ⁵⁴

10always carrying about in the body the putting to death of the Lord ⁵⁵Jesus, so that also the life of Jesus may be manifested in our body. ⁵⁶

11For we, the living, are always being handed over to death for Jesus' sake, so that also the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh. ⁵⁷

12So then, death is at work in us, but life in you. ⁵⁸

Momentary affliction; eternal glory

13Now since we have the same spirit of faith, just like it is written, “I believed; therefore I spoke,” ⁵⁹we also believe and therefore speak,

14knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us through Jesus ⁶⁰and present us together with you.

15So all this is for your benefit, so that the grace that has spread through the many may cause the thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God. ⁶¹

16Therefore we do not lose heart—even though our outer man is wasting away, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day—

17because our light, momentary affliction is working out for us an eternal and limitless measure of glory, ⁶²

18as we do not focus on the seen, but on the not seen; for what is seen is transitory, but what is unseen is eternal. ⁶³