2 Corinthians 4:17 (WEB)

Passage

For our light affliction, which is for the moment, works for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory;

Nearby Context

2 Corinthians 4:15 For all things are for your sakes, that the grace, being multiplied through the many, may cause the thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.

2 Corinthians 4:16 Therefore we don’t faint, but though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day.

2 Corinthians 4:17 For our light affliction, which is for the moment, works for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory;

2 Corinthians 4:18 while we don’t 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.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "light", "affliction", "moment", "works", "exceedingly", "eternal", "weight", and "glory". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "light" and "affliction", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 16's "Therefore we don t faint but though..." into verse 18's "while we don t look at the...", so "light" and "affliction" 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 "light" and "affliction" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.