3 We ^zput no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4 but ^aas servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: ^bby great endurance, ^cin afflictions, ^dhardships, calamities, 5 ^ebeatings, imprisonments, ^friots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; 6 ^gby purity, ^hknowledge, patience, kindness, ⁱthe Holy Spirit, ^jgenuine love; 7 by ^ktruthful speech, and ^lthe power of God; with ^mthe weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8 through honor and dishonor, ⁿthrough slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 9 as unknown, and ^oyet well known; ^pas dying, and behold, we live; ^qas punished, and yet not killed; 10 ^ras sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; ^sas poor, yet making many rich; ^tas having nothing, ^uyet possessing everything.

Treasure in Jars of Clay

7 But we have this treasure in ^pjars of clay, ^qto show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are ^rafflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but ^snot forsaken; ^tstruck down, but not destroyed; 10 ^ualways carrying in the body the death of Jesus, ^vso that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So ^wdeath is at work in us, but life in you.

13 Since we have ^xthe same spirit of faith according to what has been written, ^y“I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, 14 knowing that ^zhe who raised the Lord Jesus ^awill raise us also with Jesus and ^bbring us with you into his presence. 15 For ^cit is all for your sake, so that as ^dgrace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, ^eto the glory of God.

16 So we do not lose heart. ^fThough our outer self¹ is wasting away, ^gour inner self ^his being renewed day by day. 17 For ⁱthis light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 ^jas we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Our Heavenly Dwelling

1 For we know that if ^kthe tent that is ^lour earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, ^ma house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this tent ⁿwe groan, longing to ^oput on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed by putting it on² we may not be found naked. 4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal ^pmay be swallowed up by life. 5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, ^qwho has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

6 So we are always of good courage. We know that ^rwhile we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for ^swe walk by faith, not ^tby sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we ^uwould rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.