2 Corinthians 4:7 – 5:10

2 Corinthians 4

⁷ We hold this treasure in clay jars to show that its extraordinary power is from God and not from us. ⁸ We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; perplexed, yet not despairing; ⁹ persecuted, yet not forsaken; struck down, yet not destroyed. ¹⁰ We always carry around in our body the death of the Lord Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. ¹¹ To be sure, while we are living we are continually being handed over to death because of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our mortal flesh. ¹² So then, death is working in us, but life is working in you.

¹³ Since we have that same spirit of faith, which corresponds to what is written: “I believed; therefore, I have spoken,” ^[1] we also believe, and therefore we speak. ¹⁴ For we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and bring us (together with you) into his presence. ¹⁵ In fact, all this is for your benefit, so that as grace increases, it will overflow to the glory of God, as more and more people give thanks.

¹⁶ Therefore we are not discouraged. But even if our outer self is wasting away, yet our inner self is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ Yes, our momentary, light trouble produces for us an eternal weight of glory that is far beyond any comparison. ¹⁸ We are not focusing on what is seen, but on what is not seen. For the things that are seen are temporary, but the things that are not seen are eternal.

We Long for Heaven

2 Corinthians 5

¹ Now we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal home in heaven, which is not made by human hands. ² In fact, the reason we groan is that we long to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven. ³ If we do indeed put it on, ^[2] we will certainly not be found naked. ⁴ To be sure, while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed, but to be clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. ⁵ Now the one who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the Spirit as the down payment.

⁶ Therefore we are always confident and know that while we are at home in the body, we are away from the Lord, ⁷ for we walk by faith, not by sight. ⁸ But we are confident and would much prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. ⁹ And for this reason we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home or away. ¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he did while in the body, whether good or bad.