| Berean Study Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Therefore, since God in His mercy has given us this ministry, we do not lose heart. | 1Therefore, since we have this ministry because we were shown mercy, we do not give up. |
| 2Instead, we have renounced secret and shameful ways. We do not practice deceit, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by open proclamation of the truth, we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. | 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. |
| 3And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. | 3But if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. |
| 4The god of this age has blinded the minds of 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 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. |
| 5For we do not proclaim ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. | 5For we are not proclaiming ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves because of Jesus. |
| 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 the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. | 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. |
| 7Now we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this surpassingly great power is from God and not from us. | 7Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us. |
| 8We are hard pressed on all sides, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; | 8We are pressured in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; |
| 9persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed. | 9we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed. |
| 10We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. | 10We always carry the death of Jesus in our body, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. |
| 11For we who are alive are always consigned to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our mortal 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. |
| 12So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. | 12So death works in us, but life in you. |
| 13And in keeping with what is written: “I believed, therefore I have spoken,” we who have the same spirit of faith also believe and therefore speak, | 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. |
| 14knowing that the One who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in His presence. | 14We know that the One who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and present us with you. |
| 15All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is extending to more and more people may overflow in thanksgiving, to the glory of God. | 15Indeed, everything is for your benefit, so that grace, extended through more and more people, may cause thanksgiving to increase to God's glory. |
| 16Therefore we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, yet our inner self is being renewed day by day. | 16Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day. |
| 17For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal glory that is far beyond comparison. | 17For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. |
| 18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. | 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. |
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