Therefore, seeing we have this ministry, even as we obtained mercy, we do not faint. 2But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God1 deceitfully; but by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. 3If our Injil2 is veiled, it is veiled to those who perish; 4in whom the “god of this world”3 has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the Injil of the glory of AL-MASIH4, who is the image of God, should not dawn on them. 5For we do not preach ourselves, but AL-MASIH ‘ISA5 as Lord6, and ourselves as your servants for ‘ISA’s sake. 6It is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness7, who has shone in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of ‘ISA AL-MASIH.
7But we have this treasure in clay vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves. 8We are pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, yet not in despair; 9pursued, but not forsaken; struck down, yet not destroyed; 10always carrying in our body the dying of the Lord ‘ISA, that the life of ‘ISA may also be revealed in our body. 11For we who live are always delivered to death for ‘ISA’s sake, that the life also of ‘ISA may be revealed in our mortal flesh. 12So then death works in us, but life in you.
13But having the same spirit of faith, according to that which is written,
“I believed, and therefore I spoke.” 8
We also believe, and therefore also we speak; 14knowing that he who raised the Lord ‘ISA will raise us also with ‘ISA, and will present us with you. 15For all things are for your sakes, that the grace being spread to many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.
16Therefore we do not faint. Though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day. 17For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for us a far, far greater eternal weight of glory; 18while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
- 4:2 God, English translation of theos. It is the Greek equivalent of elohim and eloah (Hebrew) which are related to allah (Arabic) and alaha (Syriac), all of which translate as “God,” and refer to the one true God. ↩︎
- 4:3 Injil, this Arabic word is derived from Euangel (Greek) and means “good news” or “Gospel” (old English for ‘good news’). Depending on context, Injil can refer to,
1. the whole Christian New Testament containing 27 books,
2. the first 4 books of the New Testament, that is, the Injil according to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John,
3. the message or “good news” of forgiveness of sins through ‘ISA AL-MASIH, revealed in the holy Injil (or New Testament). ↩︎ - 4:4 god of this world, that is, Shaitan or Iblis. ↩︎
- 4:4 AL-MASIH – an Arabic title equivalent to the Messiah (Hebrew) or Christ (Greek), all of which mean the Anointed One, that is, God’s Chosen One. In ancient times, divinely-appointed kings, priests and prophets were anointed with oil to signify their appointment to office. All of them point ahead to God’s ultimate Anointed One, the Messiah, AL-MASIH. Al-Kitab unanimously points to ‘ISA Ibn Maryam as the only person worthy to bear the title AL-MASIH. He is the one whom God sent into this world to save people from sin, and to usher in God’s Kingdom at his Second Coming. ↩︎
- 4:5 ‘ISA – The names ‘ISA (Arabic), ISHO (Syriac) and JESUS (Greek, IESOUS) are all derived from the Hebrew name YEHOSHUA, which means “YAHWEH saves.” (YAHWEH is God’s personal name revealed to Prophet Musa in the Taurat, Exodus 3:15 – God said moreover to Musa, “You shall tell Bani-Israel this, ‘YAHWEH, the God of your fathers, the God of Ibrahim, the God of Ishaq, and the God of Yaqub, has sent me to you.’ This is my Name forever, and this is how I am to be remembered to all generations.”) ↩︎
- 4:5 Lord, translated from the Greek kurios. Depending on context, kurios can refer to:
1. God, 2. ‘ISA AL-MASIH, 3. men in authority, such as kings, landlords, etc., 4. a polite salutation meaning, “Sir.” ↩︎ - 4:6 the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, Compare the Taurat, Genesis 1:3, “God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.” Also, Shaya 9:2 which says: “The people living in darkness have seen a great light: to those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned.” ↩︎
- 4:13 Quoting the Zabur 116:10 which says: “I believed, and therefore I spoke, ‘I am greatly afflicted.'” ↩︎