4 So since we have this ministry by God’s mercy, we do not lose heart. 2 But we have renounced the hidden ways of shame. We do not behave craftily nor distort the Gospel-word of God,[1114] but by clearly proclaiming the truth, we commend ourselves to every person’s conscience in the sight of God.  3 And if our Gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing.  4 In their case the god of this age[1115] has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, so that they would not see the light of the Gospel of the glory of Messiah, who is the image of God.  5 For we are not proclaiming ourselves, but Messiah Jesus as lord,[1116] and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.  6 For God who said, “Light will shine out of the darkness” is the One who has shone in our minds to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of the Messiah.
   7 But we are like clay jars holding this treasure,[1117] so that the supreme greatness of the power is shown to be from God and not from ourselves.  8 We are afflicted from every side, but not crushed. We are perplexed, but not in despair.  9 We are persecuted, but not forsaken. We are hurt, but not destroyed.  10 In our bodies we always carry the threat of dying as Jesus did, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our bodies.  11 For we who are living are constantly being delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our mortal bodies. [1118]  12 So then death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.
    13 Since we have the same spirit of the faith as in what is written, “I believed and for that reason I spoke,” we believe and for that reason we speak.  14 We do this knowing that the One who resurrected the lord Jesus will resurrect us also,[1119] with Jesus,[1120] and will present us with you.  15 For all this is for your sake, so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause thanksgiving to multiply to the glory of God.
    16 So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer selves are decaying, our inner selves are being renewed day by day.  17 These light afflictions last for a little while, but they are producing for us an incomparable weight of glory for the age to come.  18 We do not focus on the things which are seen now but on the things which are not seen, because the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen belong to the age to come.