1 Because of this, having this ministry to the extent that we received mercy, we are not remiss,
2 but have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in cunning, nor adulterating the word of the God, but commending ourselves by the manifestation of the truth to every person’s conscience in the sight of God.
3 (And if our good news is also veiled, it is veiled among those being done away with,
4 among whom the god of the aeon, this aeon, has blinded the minds of the unfaithful, so that the light of the good news of the glory of Christós, who is the image of God, should not shine.)
5 For we do not proclaim ourselves but Iesoûs Christós Lord, yet ourselves slaves of yours due to Iesoûs.
6 Because it is the God who said, ‘Out of darkness, light will shine,’ who shone in the hearts of ours for light of the knowledge of the glory of the God in Iesoûs Christós's face.
7 Yet we have the treasure, this treasure, in shell-type* vessels, so that the superiority of the power be of the God and not from us,
8 in all ways hard-pressured but not constricted, standing before impasses but not defeated by impasses*,
9 persecuted* but not left down,* thrown down but not undone,
10 always carrying along the dying of Iesoûs in the body, so that the life of Iesoûs be shown in the body of ours.
11 Always, indeed, are we the living handed over to death due to Iesoûs, so that the life of Iesoûs be shown in the mortal flesh of ours,
12 insomuch that the death operates in us, yet the life in you.
13 Yet having the same Spirit of the Faith, according to the written Word, "I believed, therefore I spoke", also we believe, therefore we speak,
14 knowing that He who raised the Lord Iesoûs will also raise us with* Iesoûs and present* us with you.
15
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Notes
7 Gk ostrákinos from óstrakon, referring to the shells of creatures (oysters, turtles, etc.) and pottery
8 Gk aporoûmai contrasted with exaporéomai, the core concept being Gk áporos (akin to aporous, unable to pass through). The prefix ex- appears to add the concept of going from a situation of impasse (thus the KJV translation despairing).
9 Or pursued; or forsaken
14 Other manuscripts read through/due to; or