2 Corinthians 4:3 (KJV)

Passage

But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

Nearby Context

2 Corinthians 4:1 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;

2 Corinthians 4:2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.

2 Corinthians 4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

2 Corinthians 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

2 Corinthians 4:5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "gospel" and "lost". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "gospel" and "lost", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 2's "But have renounced the hidden things of..." into verse 4's "In whom the god of this world...", so "gospel" and "lost" belong inside that flow. In 2 Corinthians context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "gospel" and "lost" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.