New Living Translation
2 Corinthians 4:7
7We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.
2 Corinthians 4:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
- New International Version (NIV)But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
Context of 2 Corinthians 4:7
5You see, we don’t go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. 8We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. 9We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.
Read all of 2 Corinthians 42 Corinthians 4:7 word by word
Ἔχομεν δὲ τὸν θησαυρὸν τοῦτον ἐν ὀστρακίνοις σκεύεσιν, ἵνα ἡ ὑπερβολὴ τῆς δυνάμεως ᾖ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ μὴ ἐξ ἡμῶν,Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Butδέde · thenG1161
- we haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- treasureὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- treasureθησαυρόςthēsauros · treasureG2344
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- earthenὀστράκινοςostrakinos · clayG3749
- vesselsσκεῦοςskeuos · vesselG4632
- thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
- the excellencyὑπερβολήhuperbolē · surpassingG5236
- of the powerδύναμιςdunamis · powerG1411
- may beεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- notμήmē · notG3361
- ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
- usἐγώegō · I/weG1473
Cross-references for 2 Corinthians 4:7
- 2 Corinthians 4:1Therefore, since God in his mercy has given us this new way, we never give up.
- 2 Corinthians 6:10Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything.
- Matthew 13:44“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field.
- Ephesians 3:8Though I am the least deserving of all God’s people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ.
- Colossians 1:27For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.
- Colossians 2:3In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
- 2 Corinthians 5:1For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands.
- 2 Corinthians 10:10For some say, “Paul’s letters are demanding and forceful, but in person he is weak, and his speeches are worthless!”
- Judges 7:13Gideon crept up just as a man was telling his companion about a dream. The man said, “I had this dream, and in my dream a loaf of barley bread came tumbling down into the Midianite camp. It hit a tent, turned it over, and knocked it flat!”
- Lamentations 4:2See how the precious children of Jerusalem, worth their weight in fine gold, are now treated like pots of clay made by a common potter.
- 1 Corinthians 1:28God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important.
- 1 Corinthians 4:9Instead, I sometimes think God has put us apostles on display, like prisoners of war at the end of a victor’s parade, condemned to die. We have become a spectacle to the entire world—to people and angels alike.
- Galatians 4:13Surely you remember that I was sick when I first brought you the Good News.
- 2 Timothy 2:20In a wealthy home some utensils are made of gold and silver, and some are made of wood and clay. The expensive utensils are used for special occasions, and the cheap ones are for everyday use.
- 2 Corinthians 3:5It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God.
- 2 Corinthians 12:7even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.
Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 4:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7But we have this treasure in earthen vessels - The original, , signifies, more literally, vessels made of shells, which are very brittle; and as the shell is the outward part of a fish, it is very fit, as Dr. Hammond observes, to resemble our bodies in which our souls dwell. The Platonists make two bodies of a man: the one they call , the chariot of the soul; the other, that which we see and touch; and this they call which is the same to us as the shell…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7But we have this treasure - The treasure of the gospel; the rich and invaluable truths which they were called to preach to others. The word “treasure” is applied to those truths on account of their inestimable worth. Paul in the previous verses had spoken of the gospel, the knowledge of Jesus Christ, as full of glory, and infinitely precious. This rich blessing had been committed to him and his fellow-laborers, to dispense it to others, and to diffuse it…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7The message of good news about Jesus is like a great treasure, but it is kept in fragile clay jars (our weak bodies). This understanding gives purpose to suffering (4:8–5:10).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. "Lest any should say, How then is it that we continue to enjoy such unspeakable glory in a mortal body? Paul replies, this very fact is one of the most marvellous proofs of God's power, that an earthen vessel could bear such splendor and keep such a treasure" [Chrysostom, Homilies, 8.496, A]. The treasure or "the light of the knowledge of the glory of God." The fragile "earthen vessel" is the body, the "outward man" (2Co 4:16; compare 2Co 4:10), liable…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Corinthians 4:7
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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