2 Corinthians · Bible in Basic English
2 Corinthians 4 Bible in Basic English
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 For this reason, because we have been made servants of this new order, through the mercy given to us, we are strong:
1 Therefore, seeing we have this ministry, even as we obtained mercy, we don’t faint.
2 And we have given up the secret things of shame, not walking in false ways, and not making use of the word of God with deceit; but by the revelation of what is true, as before God, we have the approval of every man's sense of right and wrong.
2 But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
3 But if our good news is veiled, it is veiled from those who are on the way to destruction:
3 Even if our Good News is veiled, it is veiled in those who are dying,
4 Because the god of this world has made blind the minds of those who have not faith, so that the light of the good news of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, might not be shining on them.
4 in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the Good News of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn on them.
5 For our preaching is not about ourselves, but about Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants through Jesus.
5 For we don’t preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake,
6 Seeing that it is God who said, Let light be shining out of the dark, who has put in our hearts the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
6 seeing it is God who said, “Light will shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this wealth in vessels of earth, so that it may be seen that the power comes not from us but from God;
7 But we have this treasure in clay vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves.
8 Troubles are round us on every side, but we are not shut in; things are hard for us, but we see a way out of them;
8 We are pressed on every side, yet not crushed; perplexed, yet not to despair;
9 We are cruelly attacked, but not without hope; we are made low, but we are not without help;
9 pursued, yet not forsaken; struck down, yet not destroyed;
10 In our bodies there is ever the mark of the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may be seen in our bodies.
10 always carrying in the body the putting to death of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.
11 For, while living, we are still being given up to death because of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may be seen in our flesh, though it is under the power of death.
11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus may be revealed in our mortal flesh.
12 So then, death is working in us, but life in you.
12 So then death works in us, but life in you.
13 But having the same spirit of faith, as it is said in the Writings, The words of my mouth came from the faith in my heart; in the same way, our words are the outcome of our faith;
13 But having the same spirit of faith, according to that which is written, “I believed, and therefore I spoke.” We also believe, and therefore we also speak,
14 Because we are certain that he who made the Lord Jesus come back from the dead, will do the same for us, and will give us a place in his glory with you.
14 knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also through Jesus, and will present us with you.
15 For we go through all things on account of you, because the greater the number to whom the grace is given, the greater is the praise to the glory of God.
15 For all things are for your sakes, that the grace, being multiplied through the many, may cause the thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.
16 For which cause we do not give way to weariness; but though our outer man is getting feebler, our inner man is made new day by day.
16 Therefore we don’t faint, but though our outward person is decaying, yet our inward person is renewed day by day.
17 For our present trouble, which is only for a short time, is working out for us a much greater weight of glory;
17 For our light affliction, which is for the moment, works for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory,
18 While our minds are not on the things which are seen, but on the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are for a time; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
18 while we don’t look 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.
Cross references (18)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 2 Thessalonians 3:13; Galatians 6:9; Ephesians 3:13; Revelation 2:3; Philippians 4:13
- 2 2 Corinthians 2:17; 1 Thessalonians 2:3–5; 2 Corinthians 5:11; 2 Corinthians 11:13–15; 1 Corinthians 4:5
- 3 1 Corinthians 1:18; 2 Corinthians 3:14; 2 Thessalonians 2:9–11; 2 Corinthians 2:15–16; Matthew 11:25
- 4 John 12:40; 2 Corinthians 3:14; Acts 26:18; Isaiah 6:10; 1 John 5:19
- 5 1 Thessalonians 2:5–6; 2 Corinthians 1:24; 1 Corinthians 1:23; Galatians 5:13; 2 Corinthians 5:14–15
- 6 Isaiah 60:2; Genesis 1:3; 1 Peter 2:9; 2 Peter 1:19; Ephesians 5:8
- 7 2 Corinthians 3:5–6; 2 Corinthians 5:1; Ephesians 2:8–9; 1 Corinthians 1:28; Colossians 2:3
- 8 James 1:2–4; Romans 8:35–37; 1 Peter 4:12–14; 2 Corinthians 12:10; Psalm 56:2–3
- 9 Isaiah 43:2; Micah 7:8; Psalm 37:24–25; Proverbs 24:16; Psalm 42:11
- 10 Romans 6:5; 2 Timothy 2:11; 1 Peter 4:13; Romans 6:8; Philippians 3:10–11
- 11 1 Corinthians 15:49; 1 Corinthians 15:53–54; Psalm 44:22; Romans 8:36; 1 Corinthians 15:31
- 12 2 Corinthians 13:9; 1 Corinthians 4:10; 1 John 3:16; Acts 20:24; Philippians 2:17
- 13 Psalm 116:10; Hebrews 11:1–40; 2 Corinthians 3:12; Proverbs 21:28; 1 Corinthians 12:9
- 14 Romans 8:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:14; 1 Corinthians 6:14; John 11:25–26; Jude 24
- 15 Romans 8:28; Ephesians 3:20–21; 2 Corinthians 9:11–12; Psalm 50:23; 2 Corinthians 1:11
- 16 Isaiah 40:31; Colossians 3:10; Isaiah 40:29; Romans 12:2; Psalm 73:26
- 17 Romans 8:18; 1 Peter 5:10; Romans 5:3–5; James 1:12; Hebrews 12:10–11
- 18 2 Corinthians 5:7; Romans 8:24–25; Hebrews 11:1; 1 John 2:16–17; 1 John 2:25
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
Seeing he had uttered great things and had set himself and all the faithful before Moses, aware of the height and greatness of what he had said, observe how he moderates his tone again.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 12 (1889)
As to their affirming that Paul said plainly in the Second [Epistle] to the Corinthians, "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not," and maintaining that there is indeed one god of this world, but another who is beyond all principality, and beginning, and power, we are not to blame if they, …
… contrary, it so thoroughly adopts it, that even while a man is alive, and body and soul are united, it calls each of them singly by the name "man," speaking of the soul as the "inward man," and of the body as the "outward man," as if there were two men, though both together are indeed but one.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
Hear, for instance, how of those passions Paul is ashamed, even after his deliverance from them, saying, "For what fruit had ye then in those things, whereof ye are now ashamed?" But virtue, even after his labor, he affirms to be light, calling the laboriousness of our affliction momentary and "light," and rejoicing in his sufferings, and glorying in his …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
For it is Paul who saith, In whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not, lest the light of the Gospel should shine unto them." But Archelaus made a good retort, saying, "Read a little before: But if our Gospel is veiled, it is veiled in them that are perishing.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)