2 Corinthians 4:3 (ASV)

Passage

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled in them that perish:

Nearby Context

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

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

2 Corinthians 4:3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled in them that perish:

2 Corinthians 4:4 in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn [upon them].

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

Study Lenses

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

The nearby context moves from verse 2's "but we have renounced the hidden things..." into verse 4's "in whom the god of this world...", so "even" and "gospel" 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 "even" and "gospel" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.