| New King James Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. | 1Therefore, since we have this ministry because we were shown mercy, we do not give up. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 3But 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. |
| 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. | 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 preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. | 5For we are not proclaiming ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves because of Jesus. |
| 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," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God's glory in the face of Jesus Christ. |
| 7But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of 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 every side, yet not crushed; we are 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. |
| 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 the death of Jesus in our body, 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 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 working in us, but life in you. | 12So death works in us, but life 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, | 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 He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. | 14We know that the One who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and present us with you. |
| 15For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound 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. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man 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 affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, | 17For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. |
| 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 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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