The Ministry of the Apostles

4 This, then, is the confidence in regard to God that we have gained through the Christ. 5 I do not mean that we are fit to form any judgment by ourselves, as if on our own authority; 6 our fitness comes from God, who himself made us fit to be assistants of a new covenant, of which the substance is, not a written Law, but a Spirit. For the written Law means death, but the Spirit gives life.

7 If the system of religion which involved death, embodied in a written Law and engraved on stones, began amid such glory, that the Israelites were unable to gaze at the face of Moses because of its glory, though it was but a passing glory, 8 will not the religion that confers the Spirit have still greater glory? 9 For, if there was a glory in the religion that involved condemnation, far greater is the glory of the religion that confers righteousness! 10 Indeed, that which then had glory has lost its glory, because of the glory which surpasses it. 11 And, if that which was to pass away was attended with glory, far more will that which is to endure be surrounded with glory!

12 With such a hope as this, we speak with all plainness; 13 unlike Moses, who covered his face with a veil, to prevent the Israelites from gazing at the disappearance of what was passing away. 14 But their minds were slow to learn. Indeed, to this very day, at the public reading of the old covenant, the same veil remains; only for those who are in union with Christ does it pass away. 15 But, even to this day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies on their hearts. 16 Yet, whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 And the Lord is the Spirit, and, where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And all of us, with faces from which the veil is lifted, seeing, as if reflected in a mirror, the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into his likeness, from glory to glory, as it is given by the Lord, the Spirit.

4 Therefore, since it is by God’s mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2 No, we have renounced the secrecy prompted by shame, refusing to adopt crafty ways, or to tamper with God’s message, and commending ourselves to everyone’s conscience, in the sight of God, by our exhibition of the truth. 3 And, even if the good news that we bring is veiled, it is veiled only in the case of those who are on the path to ruin – 4 people whose minds have been blinded by the God of this age, unbelievers as they are, so that the light from the good news of the glory of the Christ, who is the incarnation of God, should not shine for them. 5 (For it is not ourselves that we proclaim, but Christ Jesus, as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.) 6 Indeed, the same God who said “Out of darkness light will shine,” has shone in on our hearts, so that we should bring out into the light the knowledge of the glory of God, seen in the face of Christ.Titleless Section Break

7 This treasure we have in these earthen vessels, so that its all-prevailing power may be seen to come from God, and not to be our own. 8 Though hard pressed on every side, we are never hemmed in; though perplexed, never driven to despair; 9 though pursued, never abandoned; though struck down, never killed! 10 We always bear on our bodies the marks of the death that Jesus died, so that the life also of Jesus may be exhibited in our bodies. 11 Indeed, we who still live are continually being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life also of Jesus may be exhibited in our mortal nature. 12 And so, while death is at work within us, life is at work within you. 13 But, in the same spirit of faith as that expressed in the words – “I believed, and therefore I spoke,” we, also believe, and therefore speak. 14 For we know that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with him, and will bring us, with you, into his presence. 15 For all this is for your sakes, so that the loving kindness of God, spreading from heart to heart, may cause yet more hearts to overflow with thanksgiving, to his glory.

16 Therefore, as I said, we do not lose heart. No, even though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 The light burden of our momentary trouble is preparing for us a weight of imperishable glory, beyond all measure. 18 We, all the while, gaze not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is transient, but what is unseen is imperishable. 5 For we know that if our tent – that earthly body which is now our home – is taken down, we have a house of God’s building, a home not made by hands, imperishable, in heaven. 2 Even while in our present body we sigh, longing to put over it our heavenly house, 3 sure that, when we have put it on, we will never be found naked. 4 For we who are in this tent sigh under our burden, unwilling to take it off, yet wishing to put our heavenly body over it, so that all that is mortal may be absorbed in life. 5 And he who has prepared us for this change is God, who has also given us his Spirit as a pledge.

6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, while our home is in the body, we are absent from our home with the Lord. 7 For we guide our lives by faith, and not by what we see. 8 And in this confidence we would gladly leave our home in the body, and make our home with the Lord. 9 Therefore, whether in our home or absent from our home, our one ambition is to please him. 10 For at the court of the Christ we must all appear in our true characters, so that each may reap the results of the life which he has lived in the body, in accordance with his actions – whether good or worthless.Titleless Section Break

11 Therefore, because we know the fear inspired by the Lord, it is true that we are trying to win people over, but our motives are plain to God; and I hope that in your inmost hearts they are plain to you also. 12 We are not ‘commending ourselves’ again to you, but rather are giving you cause for pride in us, so that you may have an answer ready for those who pride themselves on appearances and not on character. 13 For, if we were ‘beside ourselves,’ it was in God’s service! If we are not in our senses, it is in yours! 14 It is the love of the Christ which compels us, when we reflect that, as one died for all, therefore all died; 15 and that he died for all, so that the living should no longer live for themselves, but for him who died and rose for them.

16 For ourselves, then, from this time forward, we refuse to regard anyone from the world’s standpoint. Even if we once thought of Christ from the standpoint of the world, yet now we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in union with Christ, he is a new being! His old life has passed away; a new life has begun! 18 But all this is the work of God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation – 19 To proclaim that God, in Christ, was reconciling the world to himself, not reckoning people’s offences against them, and that he had entrusted us with the message of this reconciliation.

20 It is, then, on Christ’s behalf that we are acting as ambassadors, God, as it were, appealing to you through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf – Be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake God made Christ, who was innocent of sin, one with our sinfulness, so that in him we might be made one with the righteousness of God. 6 Therefore, as God’s fellow workers, we also appeal to you not to receive his loving kindness in vain. 2 For he says –

“At the time for acceptance I listened to you,

and on the day of deliverance I helped you.”

Now is the time for acceptance! Now is the day of deliverance! 3 Never do we put an obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry. 4 No, we are trying to commend ourselves under all circumstances, as God’s assistants should – in many an hour of endurance, in troubles, in hardships, in difficulties, 5 in floggings, in imprisonments, in riots, in toils, in sleepless nights, in hunger; 6 by purity, by knowledge, by patience, by kindliness, by holiness of spirit, by unfeigned love; 7 by the message of truth, and by the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; 8 amid honour and disrepute, amid slander and praise; regarded as deceivers, yet proved to be true; 9 as unknown, yet well-known; as at death’s door, yet, see, we are living; as chastised, yet not killed; 10 as saddened, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet enriching many; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things!