| New International Version | NET Bible |
| 1Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. | 1Therefore, since we have this ministry, just as God has shown us mercy, we do not become discouraged. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 3And even 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, |
| 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. | 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 what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. | 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," 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. | 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. |
| 7But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is 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 hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; | 8We are experiencing trouble on every side, but are not crushed; we are perplexed, but not driven to despair; |
| 9persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. | 9we are persecuted, but not abandoned; we are knocked 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. | 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 are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. | 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 then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. | 12As a result, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. |
| 13It is written: "I believed; therefore I have spoken." Since we have that same spirit of faith, 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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 lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are 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 light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. | 17For our momentary, light suffering is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison |
| 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. | 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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