II Corinthians 4-5

II Corinthians 4

¹Therefore seeing we have this ministry, even as we obtained mercy, we faint not:

²but we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.

³But and if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled in them that are perishing:

⁴in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn upon them.

⁵For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.

⁶Seeing it is God, that said, Light shall shine out of darkness, who shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

⁷But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves;

⁸we are pressed on every side, yet not straitened; perplexed, yet not unto despair;

⁹pursued, yet not forsaken; smitten down, yet not destroyed;

¹⁰always bearing about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our body.

¹¹For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

¹²So then death worketh in us, but life in you.

¹³But having the same spirit of faith, according to that which is written, I believed, and therefore did I speak; we also believe, and therefore also we speak;

¹⁴knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also with Jesus, and shall present us with you.

¹⁵For all things are for your sakes, that the grace, being multiplied through the many, may cause the thanksgiving to abound unto the glory of God.

¹⁶Wherefore we faint not; but though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day.

¹⁷For our light affliction, which is for the moment, worketh for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory;

¹⁸while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

II Corinthians 5

¹For we know that if the earthly house of our tabernacle be dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens.

²For verily in this we groan, longing to be clothed upon with our habitation which is from heaven:

³if so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.

⁴For indeed we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened; not for that we would be unclothed, but that we would be clothed upon, that what is mortal may be swallowed up of life.

⁵Now he that wrought us for this very thing is God, who gave unto us the earnest of the Spirit.

⁶Being therefore always of good courage, and knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord

⁷(for we walk by faith, not by sight);

⁸we are of good courage, I say, and are willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord.

⁹Wherefore also we make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well-pleasing unto him.

¹⁰For we must all be made manifest before the judgment-seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

¹¹Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest unto God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences.

¹²We are not again commending ourselves unto you, but speak as giving you occasion of glorying on our behalf, that ye may have wherewith to answer them that glory in appearance, and not in heart.

¹³For whether we are beside ourselves, it is unto God; or whether we are of sober mind, it is unto you.

¹⁴For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that one died for all, therefore all died;

¹⁵and he died for all, that they which live should no longer live unto themselves, but unto him who for their sakes died and rose again.

¹⁶Wherefore we henceforth know no man after the flesh: even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we know him so no more.

¹⁷Wherefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new.

¹⁸But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave unto us the ministry of reconciliation;

¹⁹to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not reckoning unto them their trespasses, and having committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

²⁰We are ambassadors therefore on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beseech you on behalf of Christ, be ye reconciled to God.

²¹Him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him.