2 Corinthians 3:17-4:7
Expanded Bible
17 The Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 ·Our faces, then, are not covered [L With an unveiled face…]. We all ·show [reflect; or behold; or contemplate] the Lord’s glory, and we are being ·changed [transformed] ·to be like him [L into the same image]. This change in us ·brings ever greater glory [or is from one degree of glory to another; L is from glory to glory], which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
Preaching the Good News
4 [L Therefore,] Since God in his mercy gave us this ·work to do [ministry], we don’t ·give up [lose heart; become discouraged]. 2 But we have ·turned away from [rejected; renounced] ·secret [underhanded] and shameful ways. We ·use no trickery [L do not walk in deception], and we do not ·change [distort] the ·teaching [word] of God. We ·teach the truth plainly [fully/openly disclose the truth], ·showing everyone who we are so that they can know in their hearts what kind of people we are [L commending ourselves to every person’s conscience] in God’s sight. 3 If the ·Good News [Gospel] that we preach is ·hidden [veiled], it is ·hidden [veiled] only to those who are ·lost [perishing]. 4 The ·devil who rules this world [L god of this age] has blinded the minds of ·those who do not believe [unbelievers]. [L …so that] They cannot see the light of the Good News—the Good News ·about [that reveals] the glory of Christ, who is ·exactly like [L the image of] God. 5 [L For] We do not preach about ourselves, but we preach that Jesus Christ is Lord and that we are your ·servants [slaves; bondservants] for Jesus. 6 [L For; Because] God who said, “Let the light shine out of the darkness [Gen. 1:3; Is. 9:2],” is the same God who made his light shine in our hearts ·by letting us know [or to give us the knowledge of] the glory of God that is in the face of Christ.
Spiritual Treasure in Clay Jars
7 [L But] We have this treasure ·from God, but we are like clay jars that hold the treasure [L in clay jars]. This shows that the ·great [extraordinary; transcendent] power is from God, not from us.
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