1 THEREFORE seeing we have this ministry, [We have been called, we have a mission to fulfill.] as we have received mercy, we faint not;

2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, [the hidden things of shame; those things which wicked men do; and which they are ashamed to have known, and ashamed to own. some scholars suggest that Paul is referring to carnal abominations, of which the Jews and their rabbins were notoriously guilty. And it does appear from the first epistle that there were persons in Corinth who taught that fornication was no sin; and it appears also that several had taken the part of the incestuous person. ] 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.

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

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.

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

6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; [ What charistic is Paul trying to bring out when he talks about being persecuted - but not forsaken? No matter how hard life seems, be of good cheer - have a good attitude.]

10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

12 so then death worketh in us, but life in you.

13 We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;

14 Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.

15 For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.

16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, [While our bodies may get week, and get discouraged ] yet the inward man [make sure that your spirit stays strong - don't get discourage - hang in there] is renewed day by day. [and if you are faithful in doing that you will grow stronger every day that you endure.]

[17-18 Be grateful when you have trails, remeber that they are there to teach you valuable lessons and will work for your perfection.]

17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, [our mortal life Why is it helpful to see our trials from an eternal perspective? How can we learn to look at our trials from an eternal perspective? ] worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; [ What does it mean to allow trials to work in you a more exceeding weight of glory? Do you allow trials to work in you a more exceeding weight of glory, as Paul said? What is the real purpose of this life? 1) To gain a body 2) See if we would keep his commandments when not in his presence 3) Become like him What role do trails have in becoming like him? Give us experience. May it be that some trials come to you because God has in his design to refine you and make you pure? Do you pray that God will take from you the very experiences and trials which he has designed to improve you? Do you submit to them (Mosiah 3:19) and learn from them, and trust them as having come from an all wise and loving Father?
Read D&C 58:2–4.
Will you bear well your trials, and learn to examine them? For there will come a day when you will understand. President John Taylor, who bore in his body bullet wounds from the martyrdom at Carthage, and during whose administration the wrath of a belligerent nation rained down upon the Church with near devastating effect, taught: “It is necessary that we pass through certain ordeals in order that we may be purified. People sometimes do not comprehend these things. . . . “We have learned many things through suffering, we call it suffering; I call it a school of experience. . . . What are these things for? Why is it that good men should be tried? . . . that we may learn to place our dependence upon God, and trust in Him, and to observe his laws and keep his commandments. . . . I have never looked at these things in any other light than trials for the purpose of purifying the Saints of God, that they may be, as the Scriptures say, as gold that has been seven times purified by the fire. [See Psalms 12:6.]” (JD, 23:334–36.)]

18 While we look not at the things which are seen, [our goal, our aim, the mark that we are trying to achieve is not for the things which are seen; or the things of the world. We are not seeking after the goods of the world - money, property, fame, power.] but at the things which are not seen: [Paul says he is seeking the things which are not seen as they are spiritual, and are invisible to the eye - they cannot be seen with the carnal eye; but the spiritual eye only. ] for the things which are seen are temporal; [They will eventually deterorate, rust, die, disolve, with time.] but the things which are not seen are eternal. [ What is he trying to say in this verse? This parallelism of seen and not seen with temporal and eternal things is a common theme for Paul, cp. Rom. 8:24, Col. 1:16, 1 Tim. 1:17. Heavenly things are eternal and they go unseen by mortals unless the Spirit reveals them. Eternal-things that are permanent; that can have no end; they are things which belong to God; holiness, happiness, and the endless communication and fruition of himself. ]