^4:1 Because of this, we have this service, just-as we were shown-mercy, we are not depressed {Or: unhappy and elsewhere}. ^4:2 But we ourselves refused the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every conscience of men in the sight of God. ^4:3 But even if our good-news is being hidden, it is being hidden among the ones perishing, ^4:4 in whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, ^*that^* the illumination of the good-news of the glory of the Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn for them. ^4:5 For^* we are not preaching ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord and ourselves as your^° bondservants because of Jesus. ^4:6 Because it was God, the one who has said, ‘For light to shine’ {Gen 1:3} out-of darkness, who shined in our hearts, to give illumination of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

      ^4:7 But we have this treasure in baked-clay vessels, in-order-that the excellence of the power may be from God and not from us. ^4:8 We are being pressed in everything, but not distressed; being perplexed, but not despairing; ^4:9 being persecuted, but not forsaken; being cast down, but not being destroyed; ^4:10 always carrying around in the body the death of the Lord Jesus, in-order-that the life of Jesus should also be manifested in our body. ^4:11 For^* we the ones living are habitually given up to death because of Jesus, in-order-that the life of Jesus should also be manifested in our mortal flesh. ^4:12 So-then death indeed is working in us, but the life in you^°. ^4:13 But we have the same spirit of the faith, according-to the word which has been written, ‘I believed and hence I spoke.’ {Psa 116:10} We also believe and hence we also speak; ^4:14 knowing that he who raised up the Lord Jesus will also be raising us up through Jesus and will be presenting us together-with you^°. ^4:15 For^* all the things are because of you^°, in-order-that the grace which increased through the many, the thanksgiving may abound to the glory of God.

      ^4:16 Hence we are not depressed, but even if our outward man is decayed, but yet the man inside is renewed in day and in day {i.e., Greek idiom for our ‘day by day’}. ^4:17 For^* the momentary light weight of our affliction is working for us according-to excellence into a greater excellence, an everlasting weight of glory; ^4:18 not to be noting the things being seen of us, but note the things which are not being seen; for^* the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not being seen are everlasting.