1 Therefore, having ^xthis ministry ^yby the mercy of God,¹ we do not lose heart. 2 But we have renounced ^zdisgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice² cunning or ^ato tamper with God’s word, but ^bby the open statement of the truth ^cwe would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even ^dif our gospel is veiled, ^eit is veiled to ^fthose who are perishing. 4 In their case ^gthe god of this world ^dhas blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing ^hthe light of ⁱthe gospel of the glory of Christ, ^jwho is the image of God. 5 For what ^kwe proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ^lourselves as your servants³ for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, ^m“Let light shine out of darkness,” ⁿhas shone in our hearts to give ^othe light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

7 But we have this treasure in ^pjars of clay, ^qto show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.