Text -- 2 Corinthians 4:7-18 (NET)

An Eternal Weight of Glory

4:7 But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that the extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. 4:8 We are experiencing trouble on every side, but are not crushed; we are perplexed, but not driven to despair; 4:9 we are persecuted, but not abandoned; we are knocked down, but not destroyed, 4:10 always carrying around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our body. 4:11 For we who are alive are constantly being handed over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our mortal body. 4:12 As a result, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. 4:13 But since we have the same spirit of faith as that shown in what has been written, “I believed; therefore I spoke,” we also believe, therefore we also speak. 4:14 We do so because we know that the one who raised up Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus and will bring us with you into his presence. 4:15 For all these things are for your sake, so that the grace that is including more and more people may cause thanksgiving to increase to the glory of God. 4:16 Therefore we do not despair, but even if our physical body is wearing away, our inner person is being renewed day by day. 4:17 For our momentary, light suffering is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison 4:18 because we are not looking at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen. For what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: 2Co 4:7

¹ tn Grk “the surpassingness of the power”; δυνάμεως (dunamew") has been translated as an attributed genitive (“extraordinary power”).

NET Notes: 2Co 4:8

¹ tn Grk “we are hard pressed [by crowds] on every side.”

² tn Or “at a loss.”

NET Notes: 2Co 4:9

¹ tn Or “forsaken.”

² tn Or “badly hurt.” It is possible to interpret καταβαλλόμενοι (kataballomenoi) here as “badly hurt”: “[we are] badly hurt, but not destroyed” (L&N 20.21).

NET Notes: 2Co 4:10

¹ tn The first clause of 2 Cor 4:10 is elliptical and apparently refers to the fact that Paul was constantly in danger of dying in the same way Jesus died (by violence at least). According to L&N 23.99 it could be translated, “at all times we live in the constant threat of being killed as Jesus was.”

² tn Or “may also be revealed.”

NET Notes: 2Co 4:11

¹ tn Or “may also be revealed.”

² tn Grk “mortal flesh.”

NET Notes: 2Co 4:12

¹ tn Or “So then.”

² tn Grk “death is at work in us, but life in you”; the phrase “is at work in” is repeated in the translation for clarity.

NET Notes: 2Co 4:13

¹ tn Grk “spirit of faith according to.”

² sn A quotation from Ps 116:10.

NET Notes: 2Co 4:14

¹ tn Grk “speak, because.” A new sentence was started here in the translation, with the words “We do so” supplied to preserve the connection with the preceding statement.

² tc ‡ Several important witnesses (א C D F G Ψ 1881), as well as the Byzantine text, add κύριον (kurion) here, changing the reading to “the Lord Jesus.” Although the external evidence in favor of the shorter reading is slim, the witnesses are important, early, and diverse (Ì⁴⁶ B [0243 33] 629 [630] 1175* [1739] pc r sa). Very likely scribes with pietistic motives added the word κύριον, as they were prone to do, thus compounding this title for the Lord.

NET Notes: 2Co 4:15

¹ tn Or “that is abounding to.”

² tn Or “to abound.”

NET Notes: 2Co 4:16

¹ tn Or “do not lose heart.”

² tn Grk “our outer man.”

³ tn Grk “our inner [man].”

NET Notes: 2Co 4:17

¹ tn Grk “momentary lightness of affliction.”