17Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18And we all with face unveiled, beholding the glory of the Lord reflected as in a mirror, according to the same image, receive a transformation from glory into glory, as by the Lord, the Spirit.
[CHAP. IV.]
THEREFORE having this ministry, as we have obtained mercy, we faint not; 2but have renounced all shameful secret practices, not conducting ourselves with artifice, nor deceitfully disguising the word of God, but by clear manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man’s conscience as in the presence of God. 3And if now our gospel be hid, it is hid from those who are lost: 4among whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelievers, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dart its bright beams upon them. 5For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6For the God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, he hath shined into our hearts, to give illumination of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the transcendent excellence of the power might be of God, and not of us.
8We are afflicted on every side, yet not reduced to extremities; under difficulties, yet not in despair; 9persecuted, yet not abandoned; cast down, but not destroyed; 10always bearing about in the body the death pangs of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our body. 11For we who are yet alive are continually delivered up to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus may be made manifest in our mortal flesh. 12Wherefore death indeed is working in us, but life in you.
13Having then the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore I have spoken[101], we also believe, and therefore speak; 14knowing that he who raised up our Lord Jesus Christ, will raise up us also through Jesus, and present us together with you. 15For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace, through the thanksgiving of more persons, may more abound to the glory of God.
16Therefore we never faint; for though our outward man decay, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 17For our momentary light affliction worketh for us a transcendently far more exceeding eternal weight of glory; 18whilst we direct our aim not to the things which are seen, but to the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporary, but the things that are not seen are eternal.
[CHAP. V.]
FOR we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle should be taken down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our mansion which is from heaven; 3that so invested, we may not be found naked. 4For we which are in this tabernacle, groan, being burdened; wherein we desire not to be unclothed, but clothed upon, that what is mortal may be swallowed up of life.
5But he that hath wrought us for this very thing is God, who also hath given us the earnest of the spirit. 6Therefore we have always confidence, and know that whilst we are indwelling in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 7(for we walk by faith, not by sight.) 8We are confident indeed, and with pleasure expect to go out from the body, and to dwell within with the Lord: 9wherefore also our ambition is, that whether dwelling in the body, or out of the body, we may be acceptable to him.
10For we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, that each may receive the things done in the body according to what he hath done, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. 11Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we have been made manifest to God, and I hope also have been made manifest in your consciences.