God, who always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. 15 For we are to God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: 16 To the one we are the savour of death to death; and to the other the savour of life to life. And who is sufficient for these things? 17 For we are not as many, who corrupt the word of God: but as from sincerity, but as from God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ. [1] [2]
CHAP. 3.
Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?
2 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men:
3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not on tables of stone, but on fleshly tables of the heart.
4 And such trust we have through Christ toward God:
5 Not that we are sufficient by ourselves to think any thing as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God;
6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. [3]
7 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:
8 How shall not the ministration of the Spirit be more glorious?
9 For if the ministration of condemnation was glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.
11 For if that which was done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.
12 Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: [4]
13 And not as Moses, who put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:
14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day the same veil remaineth untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which veil is done away in Christ.
15 But even to this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart.
16 Nevertheless when one shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.
17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
18 But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. [5]
CHAP. 4.
Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;
2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, 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. [6]
3 But if our gospel is hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them who believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.
6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shone into our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. [7]
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not from us.
8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; [8]
9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be made manifest in our body.
11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus may be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
12 So then death worketh in us, but life in you.
13 We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;
14 Knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus shall raise us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.
15 For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace may through the thanksgiving of many abound to the glory of God.
16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
18 While 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.
CHAP. 5.
For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our house which is from heaven:
3 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.
4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not because we would be unclothed, but clothed, that mortality might be swallowed up in life.
5 Now he that hath wrought us for this very thing is God, who also hath given to us the earnest of the Spirit.
6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
7 For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
9 Therefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted by him. [9]
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to what he hath done, whether good or bad.
11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest to God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.
12 For we commend not ourselves again to you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them who glory in appearance, and not in heart. [10]
13 For whether we are beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we are of sound mind, it is for your cause.
14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
15 And that he died for all, that they who live should not henceforth live to themselves, but to him who died for them, and rose again.
16 Therefore henceforth we know no man according to the flesh: though indeed, we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now henceforth we know him no more.
17 Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creation: old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. [11]
18 And all things are from God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 That is, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses to them; and hath committed to us the word of reconciliation. [12]
20 Now
- ↑ corrupt: or, deal deceitfully with
- ↑ in Christ: or, of Christ
- ↑ giveth life: or, quickeneth
- ↑ plainness: or, boldness
- ↑ by the...: or, of the Lord the Spirit
- ↑ dishonesty: Gr. shame
- ↑ hath: Gr. is he who hath
- ↑ in despair: or, altogether without help, or, means
- ↑ labour: or, endeavour
- ↑ in appearance: Gr. in the face
- ↑ he is: or, let him be
- ↑ committed...: Gr. put in us
