2 Corinthians 4:7 (YLT)

Passage

And we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us;

Nearby Context

2 Corinthians 4:5 for not ourselves do we preach, but Christ Jesus--Lord, and ourselves your servants because of Jesus;

2 Corinthians 4:6 because <FI>it is<Fi> God who said, Out of darkness light <FI>is<Fi> to shine, who did shine in our hearts, for the enlightening of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 4:7 And we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us;

2 Corinthians 4:8 on every side being in tribulation, but not straitened; perplexed, but not in despair;

2 Corinthians 4:9 persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

Study Lenses

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

The nearby context moves from verse 6's "because FI it is Fi God who..." into verse 8's "on every side being in tribulation but...", so "treasure" and "earthen" 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 "treasure" and "earthen" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.