1 ¶ Therefore seeing we have this ministry, according to the mercy we have received, we fault not,

Therefore, since we do hold and engage in this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not get discouraged (spiritless and despondent with fear) or become faint with weariness and exhaustion.

2 b ut remove from ourselves every hidden shameful thing, not walking in craftiness, nor adulterating the word of God, but in the manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.

We have renounced disgraceful ways (secret thoughts, feelings, desires and underhandedness, the methods and arts that men hide through shame); we refuse to deal craftily (to practice trickery and cunning) or to adulterate or handle dishonestly the Word of God, but we state the truth openly (clearly and candidly). And so we commend ourselves in the sight and presence of God to every man’s conscience.

3 B ut if our gospel is hid, it is hid to those that are lost,

But even if our Gospel (the glad tidings) also be hidden (obscured and covered up with a veil that hinders the knowledge of God), it is hidden to those who are perishing and obscured to those who are spiritually dying and veiled to those who are lost.

4 I n whom the god of this age has blinded the understanding of those who do not believe, that the light of the gospel of the glory of the Christ, who is the image of God, should not shine in them.

For the god of this world has blinded the unbelievers’ minds, preventing them from seeing the illuminating light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ (the Messiah), Who is the Image and Likeness of God.

5 F or we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your slaves for Jesus’ sake.

For what we preach is not ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants (slaves) for Jesus’ sake.

6 F or the God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts to bring forth the light of the knowledge of the clarity of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

For God Who said, Let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts so as the Light for the illumination of the knowledge of the majesty and glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (the Messiah).

7 B ut we have this treasure in clay vessels that the excellency of the virtue may be of God, and not of us.

However, we possess this precious treasure in vessels of earth, that the grandeur and exceeding greatness of the power may be shown to be from God and not from ourselves.

8 ¶ We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are unsure of our lives, but not in despair;

We are hedged in (pressed) on every side, but not cramped or crushed; we suffer embarrassments and are perplexed and unable to find a way out, but not driven to despair;

9 p ersecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

We are pursued (persecuted and hard driven), but not deserted; we are struck down to the ground, but never struck out and destroyed;

10 a lways bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

Always carrying about in the body the liability and exposure to the same putting to death that the Lord Jesus suffered, so that the '> resurrection] life of Jesus also may be shown forth by and in our bodies.

11 F or we who live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

For we who live are constantly being handed over to death for Jesus’ sake, that the '> resurrection] life of Jesus also may be evidenced through our flesh which is liable to death.

12 S o then death works in us, but life in you.

Thus death is actively at work in us, but '> our] life in you.

13 W e having the same Spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed and, therefore, I have spoken; we also believe and, therefore, speak;

Yet we have the same spirit of faith as he had who wrote, I have believed, and therefore have I spoken. We too believe, and therefore we speak,

14 k nowing that he who raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise us up also by Jesus and shall present us with you.

Assured that He Who raised up the Lord Jesus will raise us up also with Jesus and bring us with you into His presence.

15 F or we suffer all these things for your sakes that the grace abounding through many may in the thanksgiving redound to the glory of God.

For all things are for your sake, so that the more grace (divine favor and spiritual blessing) extends to more and more people and multiplies through the many, the more thanksgiving may increase to the glory of God.

16 T herefore we fault not; but though our outward man is wearing out, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

Therefore we do not become discouraged (utterly spiritless, exhausted, and wearied out through fear). Though our outer man is decaying and wasting away, yet our inner self is being renewed day after day.

17 F or our tribulation, which is momentary and light, prepares an exceeding and eternal weight of glory unto us;

For our light, momentary affliction (this slight distress of the passing hour) is ever more and more abundantly preparing and producing and achieving for us an everlasting weight of glory,

18 w hile 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.

Since we consider and look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen; for the things that are visible are temporal (brief and fleeting), but the things that are invisible are deathless and everlasting.