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The Holy Bible - God's Word for All Generations

II Corinthians Chapter 4

Other Translations

darby (darby) - eBible.org Darby 1890 plaintext

1 Therefore, having this ministry, as we have had mercy shewn us, we faint not.
2 But we have rejected the hidden things of shame, not walking in deceit, nor falsifying the word ofGod, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every conscience of men beforeGod.
3 But if also our gospel is veiled, it is veiled in those that are lost;
4 in whom thegod of this world has blinded the thoughts of the unbelieving, so that the radiancy of the glad tidings of the glory of the Christ, who is [the] image ofGod, should not shine forth [for them].
5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus Lord, and ourselves your bondmen for Jesus' sake.
6 Because [it is] theGod who spoke that out of darkness light should shine who has shone in our hearts for the shining forth of the knowledge of the glory ofGod in [the] face of [Jesus] Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassingness of the power may be ofGod, and not from us:
8 every way afflicted, but not straitened; seeing no apparent issue, but our way not entirely shut up;
9 persecuted, but not abandoned; cast down, but not destroyed;
10 always bearing about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our body;
11 for we who live are always delivered unto death on account of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh;
12 so that death works in us, but life in you.
13 And having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, I have believed, therefore have I spoken; we also believe, therefore also we speak;
14 knowing that he who has raised the Lord Jesus shall raise us also with Jesus, and shall present [us] with you.
15 For all things [are] for your sakes, that the grace abounding through the many may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory ofGod.
16 Wherefore we faint not; but if indeed our outward man is consumed, yet the inward is renewed day by day.
17 For our momentary [and] light affliction works for us in surpassing measure an eternal weight of glory;
18 while we look not at the things that are seen, but at the things that are not seen; for the things that are seen [are] for a time, but those that are not seen eternal.

vul1914 (vul1914) - Vulgate 1914 UTF-8 (sacredbible.org)

1 Ideo habentes administrationem, iuxta quod misericordiam consecuti sumus, non deficimus,
2 sed abdicamus occulta dedecoris, non ambulantes in astutia, neque adulterantes verbum Dei, sed in manifestatione veritatis commendantes nosmetipsos ad omnem conscientiam hominum coram Deo.
3 Quod si etiam opertum est Evangelium nostrum: in iis, qui pereunt, est opertum:
4 in quibus Deus huius sæculi excæcavit mentes infidelium, ut non fulgeat illis illuminatio Evangelii gloriæ Christi, qui est imago Dei.
5 Non enim nosmetipsos prædicamus, sed Iesum Christum Dominum nostrum: nos autem servos vestros per Iesum:
6 quoniam Deus, qui dixit de tenebris lucem splendescere, ipse illuxit in cordibus nostris ad illuminationem scientiæ claritatis Dei, in facie Christi Iesu.
7 Habemus autem thesaurum istum in vasis fictilibus: ut sublimitas sit virtutis Dei, et non ex nobis.
8 In omnibus tribulationem patimur, sed non angustiamur: aporiamur, sed non destituimur:
9 persecutionem patimur, sed non derelinquimur: deiicimur, sed non perimus:
10 semper mortificationem Iesu in corpore nostro circumferentes, ut et vita Iesu manifestetur in corporibus nostris.
11 Semper enim nos, qui vivimus, in mortem tradimur propter Iesum: ut et vita Iesu manifestetur in carne nostra mortali.
12 Ergo mors in nobis operatur, vita autem in vobis.
13 Habentes autem eundem spiritum fidei, sicut scriptum est: Credidi, Propter quod locutus sum: et nos credimus, propter quod et loquimur:
14 scientes quoniam qui suscitavit Iesum, et nos cum Iesu suscitabit, et constituet vobiscum.
15 Omnia enim propter vos: ut gratia abundans, per multos in gratiarum actione, abundet in gloriam Dei.
16 Propter quod non deficimus: sed licet is, qui foris est, noster homo corrumpatur: tamen is, qui intus est, renovatur de die in diem.
17 Id enim, quod in præsenti est momentaneum et leve tribulationis nostræ, supra modum in sublimitate æternum gloriæ pondus operatur in nobis,
18 non contemplantibus nobis quæ videntur, sed quæ non videntur. Quæ enim videntur, temporalia sunt: quæ autem non videntur, æterna sunt.

ylt (ylt) - Bible.com YLT98 plain UTF-8

1 Because of this, having this ministration, according as we did receive kindness, we do not faint,
2 but did renounce for ourselves the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor deceitfully using the word of God, but by the manifestation of the truth recommending ourselves unto every conscience of men, before God;
3 and if also our good news is vailed, in those perishing it is vailed,
4 in whom the god of this age did blind the minds of the unbelieving, that there doth not shine forth to them the enlightening of the good news of the glory of the Christ, who is the image of God;
5 for not ourselves do we preach, but Christ Jesus--Lord, and ourselves your servants because of Jesus;
6 because <FI>it is<Fi> God who said, Out of darkness light <FI>is<Fi> to shine, who did shine in our hearts, for the enlightening of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 And we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us;
8 on every side being in tribulation, but not straitened; perplexed, but not in despair;
9 persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
10 at all times the dying of the Lord Jesus bearing about in the body, that the life also of Jesus in our body may be manifested,
11 for always are we who are living delivered up to death because of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our dying flesh,
12 so that, the death indeed in us doth work, and the life in you.
13 And having the same spirit of the faith, according to that which hath been written, `I believed, therefore I did speak;' we also do believe, therefore also do we speak;
14 knowing that He who did raise up the Lord Jesus, us also through Jesus shall raise up, and shall present with you,
15 for the all things <FI>are<Fi> because of you, that the grace having been multiplied, because of the thanksgiving of the more, may abound to the glory of God;
16 wherefore, we faint not, but if also our outward man doth decay, yet the inward is renewed day by day;
17 for the momentary light matter of our tribulation, more and more exceedingly an age-during weight of glory doth work out for us--
18 we not looking to the things seen, but to the things not seen; for the things seen <FI>are<Fi> temporary, but the things not seen <FI>are<Fi> age-during.

Explanations by Age Level

Explain Like I'm 5

A long, long time ago, there was nothing at all - no earth, no sky, no animals, no people. It was all dark and empty. But God was there! God is so powerful that He can make anything just by speaking. So God said "Let there be light!" and BOOM! There was light everywhere! God saw that the light was beautiful and good. He called the light "day" and the darkness "night." This was the very first day when God started making our wonderful world!

Explain Like I'm 10

Before anything existed - no planets, stars, or life - God decided to create the universe. The earth started out as a dark, empty place covered with water. But God's Spirit was there, ready to bring order and beauty to everything. When God spoke and said "Let there be light," light immediately appeared because God's words have incredible power. God looked at the light and was pleased with what He had made. He organized time by separating light (day) from darkness (night), creating the first 24-hour period. This shows us that God is organized and purposeful in everything He does.

Explain Like I'm 15

Genesis 1:1-5 establishes fundamental theological truths about God and creation. The Hebrew word "bara" (created) indicates creation from nothing (ex nihilo), demonstrating God's absolute sovereignty and power. The phrase "without form and void" (tohu wa-bohu) describes a state of chaos that God transforms into order. The Spirit of God "hovering" or "brooding" over the waters suggests active, caring involvement in creation. The creation of light before the sun (created on day 4) indicates that God Himself is the ultimate source of light and energy. The establishment of day and night creates the framework of time, showing that God operates within orderly patterns while transcending them. This passage refutes both atheistic materialism and pantheism, establishing that God is both transcendent (separate from creation) and immanent (actively involved in it).