2 Corinthians 4:2 (YLT)

Passage

but did renounce for ourselves the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor deceitfully using the word of God, but by the manifestation of the truth recommending ourselves unto every conscience of men, before God;

Nearby Context

2 Corinthians 4:1 Because of this, having this ministration, according as we did receive kindness, we do not faint,

2 Corinthians 4:2 but did renounce for ourselves the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor deceitfully using the word of God, but by the manifestation of the truth recommending ourselves unto every conscience of men, before God;

2 Corinthians 4:3 and if also our good news is vailed, in those perishing it is vailed,

2 Corinthians 4:4 in whom the god of this age did blind the minds of the unbelieving, that there doth not shine forth to them the enlightening of the good news of the glory of the Christ, who is the image of God;

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "renounce", "ourselves", "hidden", "things", "shame", "walking", "craftiness", and "deceitfully". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "renounce" and "ourselves", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 1's "Because of this having this ministration according..." into verse 3's "and if also our good news is...", so "renounce" and "ourselves" 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 "renounce" and "ourselves" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.