1 For this reason, because we have been made servants of this new order, through the mercy given to us, we are strong:
2 And we have given up the secret things of shame, not walking in false ways, and not making use of the word of God with deceit; but by the revelation of what is true, as before God, we have the approval of every man's sense of right and wrong.
3 But if our good news is veiled, it is veiled from those who are on the way to destruction:
4 Because the god of this world has made blind the minds of those who have not faith, so that the light of the good news of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, might not be shining on them.
5 For our preaching is not about ourselves, but about Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants through Jesus.
6 Seeing that it is God who said, Let light be shining out of the dark, who has put in our hearts the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this wealth in vessels of earth, so that it may be seen that the power comes not from us but from God;
8 Troubles are round us on every side, but we are not shut in; things are hard for us, but we see a way out of them;
9 We are cruelly attacked, but not without hope; we are made low, but we are not without help;
10 In our bodies there is ever the mark of the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may be seen in our bodies.
11 For, while living, we are still being given up to death because of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may be seen in our flesh, though it is under the power of death.
12 So then, death is working in us, but life in you.
13 But having the same spirit of faith, as it is said in the Writings, The words of my mouth came from the faith in my heart; in the same way, our words are the outcome of our faith;
14 Because we are certain that he who made the Lord Jesus come back from the dead, will do the same for us, and will give us a place in his glory with you.
15 For we go through all things on account of you, because the greater the number to whom the grace is given, the greater is the praise to the glory of God.
16 For which cause we do not give way to weariness; but though our outer man is getting feebler, our inner man is made new day by day.
17 For our present trouble, which is only for a short time, is working out for us a much greater weight of glory;
18 While our minds are not on the things which are seen, but on the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are for a time; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
1 δια τουτο εχοντες την διακονιαν ταυτην καθως ηλεηθημεν ουκ εκκακουμεν
2 αλλ απειπαμεθα τα κρυπτα της αισχυνης μη περιπατουντες εν πανουργια μηδε δολουντες τον λογον του θεου αλλα τη φανερωσει της αληθειας συνιστωντες εαυτους προς πασαν συνειδησιν ανθρωπων ενωπιον του θεου
3 ει δε και εστιν κεκαλυμμενον το ευαγγελιον ημων εν τοις απολλυμενοις εστιν κεκαλυμμενον
4 εν οις ο θεος του αιωνος τουτου ετυφλωσεν τα νοηματα των απιστων εις το μη αυγασαι αυτοις τον φωτισμον του ευαγγελιου της δοξης του χριστου ος εστιν εικων του θεου
5 ου γαρ εαυτους κηρυσσομεν αλλα χριστον ιησουν κυριον εαυτους δε δουλους υμων δια ιησουν
6 οτι ο θεος ο ειπων εκ σκοτους φως λαμψαι ος ελαμψεν εν ταις καρδιαις ημων προς φωτισμον της γνωσεως της δοξης του θεου εν προσωπω ιησου χριστου
7 εχομεν δε τον θησαυρον τουτον εν οστρακινοις σκευεσιν ινα η υπερβολη της δυναμεως η του θεου και μη εξ ημων
8 εν παντι θλιβομενοι αλλ ου στενοχωρουμενοι απορουμενοι αλλ ουκ εξαπορουμενοι
9 διωκομενοι αλλ ουκ εγκαταλειπομενοι καταβαλλομενοι αλλ ουκ απολλυμενοι
10 παντοτε την νεκρωσιν του κυριου ιησου εν τω σωματι περιφεροντες ινα και η ζωη του ιησου εν τω σωματι ημων φανερωθη
11 αει γαρ ημεις οι ζωντες εις θανατον παραδιδομεθα δια ιησουν ινα και η ζωη του ιησου φανερωθη εν τη θνητη σαρκι ημων
12 ωστε ο μεν θανατος εν ημιν ενεργειται η δε ζωη εν υμιν
13 εχοντες δε το αυτο πνευμα της πιστεως κατα το γεγραμμενον επιστευσα διο ελαλησα και ημεις πιστευομεν διο και λαλουμεν
14 ειδοτες οτι ο εγειρας τον κυριον ιησουν και ημας δια ιησου εγερει και παραστησει συν υμιν
15 τα γαρ παντα δι υμας ινα η χαρις πλεονασασα δια των πλειονων την ευχαριστιαν περισσευση εις την δοξαν του θεου
16 διο ουκ εκκακουμεν αλλ ει και ο εξω ημων ανθρωπος διαφθειρεται αλλ ο εσωθεν ανακαινουται ημερα και ημερα
17 το γαρ παραυτικα ελαφρον της θλιψεως ημων καθ υπερβολην εις υπερβολην αιωνιον βαρος δοξης κατεργαζεται ημιν
18 μη σκοπουντων ημων τα βλεπομενα αλλα τα μη βλεπομενα τα γαρ βλεπομενα προσκαιρα τα δε μη βλεπομενα αιωνια