 So, we have been learning about second Corinthians and we moved on to chapter 3 and we were looking at maybe project the notes also in a little while, but we were looking at chapter 3 and how Paul declares that to the Corinthians that you are our epistle, that you are our epistle and you also says that you are the epistle of the Lord, that the Lord has your life itself that you are an epistle of the Lord Jesus, epistle of Christ. And how is that epistle written? That is by the work of the Holy Spirit. So, he is saying your life, your ministry or your testimony, everything, it is actually a work of the Holy Spirit. And then he says that we have such trust towards God, we have such trust towards God and we are not sufficient of ourselves, our sufficiency, which means our ability to teach and minister and ability to do everything comes from God, our sufficiency is from God, that is we read in 2 Corinthians 3 and verse 5 says our sufficiency, our ability to do anything comes from God and also then he goes on to say that in verse 6, 2 Corinthians 3 verse that this is who we are. The Lord has made us able or he has given us the ability, he has made us sufficient to be ministers, to be servants of the new covenant, not of the letter, but he has made us sufficient to be ministers of the new covenant and what is the new covenant? It is that of the Spirit. It is not of the law, but of the Spirit and he goes on to say what the old covenant does. In the sense, he says the letter kills referring to the law, referring to the old covenant that the letter, the law brings us under condemnation. It shows that we are sinful people, it shows what is right, what is morally wrong before God and therefore it points us to the fact that we are unrighteous, we have not been able to live that pure and holy life before God that we are unrighteous and it does not give us the ability to come out of it because we don't have the ability in ourselves, it is only through Christ. So which is what the new covenant does because by the power of the Spirit, we have light. Because of the cross, we have life, we have passed from death to life. So he says, so we have been empowered to live for him, the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to live a holy life, the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to live a transformed life for the sake of Christ, that has happened. So there's the letter kills but the Spirit gives life that we saw in verse 6. And then he goes on to explain and we also looked at Romans chapter 7 and we saw why the letter kills and why the Spirit gives life. Now let's look at from verse 7 onwards where he contrasts between or makes a difference between the old covenant and the new covenant and goes on to talk about the difference between them. So he goes on to talk about what the old covenant does and uses several different terms to talk about both. So let's look at that. If you're following any notes and I'm just projecting it here, but it's page 18. So from verse 7 onwards, but if the ministry of death written and engraved on stones was glorious, so the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? So let's look at that. He's saying this old covenant and the law that was before the cross says the ministry of death written and engraved on stones. That is how the Lord gave those 10 commandments to Moses that was engraved on stones and it was given and it was glorious. So that ministry, that work of God was glorious. So the children of Israel, so what happened, you know, is referring to an incident in Exodus chapter, I think it's that chapter 34. We can probably go there and turn to Exodus chapter 34 and I think we can read from verse 29 onwards. Is it 34? Yeah. 3429. Now it was so when Moses came down from Mount Sinai and the two tablets of the testimony were in Moses hands. So the law was given what you should do, what you should not do and it was in his hands and that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with them. So when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold the skin of his face shone and they were afraid to come near him. Then Moses called to them and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned to him and Moses talked with them afterward all the children of Israel came near and he gave them as commandments all that the Lord has spoken with them on Mount Sinai. And when Moses has finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face but whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he would take the veil off until he came out and he would come out and speak to the children of Israel, whatever he had been commanded and whenever the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses face shone, then Moses would put the veil on his face again until he went in to speak with him, referring to God. So Moses put on this veil, veil means a covering, a cloth to cover his face because it was actually shining because he was in the presence of God and it says here that the people were actually afraid to come near him, which means it was something that was very visible in case of the glory of God. So Paul is saying this was glorious, the ministry of death, so that the children of Israel could not steadily look at the face of Moses. So since it was, you know, we see that it was glorious, so, just a minute please. So that itself was glorious. So the ministry of the Spirit, how will that not be even more glorious? How will not, that particular glory was actually passing away, it was fading away. So it was not a permanent thing, his face, yes his face shone, but it would fade away. But how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? If the letter was glorious, how will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? So he, and then he says in verse 9, for if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. Like we saw, you know, the law pointed it to everyone that they were wrong, because the standard of God was here and everybody was way down. So that is what the law pointed out. So it was, it condemned everybody to be sinners. It condemned everyone to be sinners. Like in Romans 3, verse 23, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, now how did everyone know that? It was because of the law, right? So called it the ministry of condemnation. Verse 24, Romans 3, verse 24, being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. So verse, you know, if you look at verse 9 in 2 Corinthians 3, there's the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect because of the glory that excels. So he says there's no comparison because this is even more glorious. Or if what was passing away, what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious. Verse 11, so we know that the Spirit of God indwells us, he is with us forever and he continues to minister to us and through us, right? So that is what the Lord Jesus said that the Holy Spirit will come, will abide with you forever. So you know, he's staying with us, he stays with us, he ministers to us as believers. He sanctifies us, he leads us into victory and he enables us to minister to others. So he's saying if what was passing away was glorious, you know, what remains is much more glorious. Verse 12, therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech. We use great boldness of speech. So let's look at some of the terms, the words that he uses to talk about both these covenants, okay? We see that he says old covenant, new covenant, ministry of death, ministry of the Spirit, the ministry of condemnation and ministry of righteousness, what is passing away, what remains, right? So to differentiate between the covenants, okay? So it says we have so much hope in this covenant because of the, because it remains, right? It does not change, it does not fade. The glory remains, the glory is, you know, it's constant. So he's saying since there is glorious hope in such a glorious covenant, okay? So he's saying since we have much hope in this glorious covenant, we use great boldness of speech. So we're saying, you know, we have bold and courage is in our proclamation, right, a proclamation of the gospel. We use great boldness of speech. Verse 17 and 18, now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. The Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty or freedom or when we say freedom, it's not freedom to do anything that you want, but it's freedom, legitimate freedom, meaning freedom to do the right thing, right? You're free to do the right thing. You're free to walk in righteousness where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. Okay, he has set us free and he has set us free and he's released us as slaves of righteousness. So there is freedom where the Spirit of the Lord is. And verse 18, but we all with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror, the glory of the Lord are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory just as by the Spirit of the Lord. He's saying that when we turn to the Lord, when we look to the Lord, there is liberty, there is freedom. Okay, I think I just skipped to verse 17, but let's just look at verse 13 to 16. I'm sorry. Let's just look at 13 to 16 before we go over to 17. So he says, we have great boldness of speech. And then he says, verse 13, unlike Moses, who had a veil over his face, okay, because of the glory of the Lord, because the children of Israel could not look steadily at that glory. They were afraid. We just read in Exodus 34, but he says in verse 14 that their minds were blinded. The minds of the children of Israel was blinded and he says, until this day, okay, even till today, the same veil remains unlifted, okay. What does it mean? It means that even into the present day to the Jews, the same veil in the sense there is a kind of a covering. There is a covering, just like how Moses, you know, put that veil so that the glory could not be seen, there is a similar, the same kind of a veil, which remains there in the reading of the Old Testament, okay. Why? Because the Old Testament is actually pointing people to the Lord Jesus, right. Well, everything of the Old Testament is, the prophetic writings are pointing to the Lord Jesus and while the reading of, there is the reading of the Old Testament to the Jews, there remains that veil, okay, and that veil, that covering is taken away in Christ Jesus. So when one turns to the Lord, only then is that covering taken away. So he says that, you know, even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. They're not able to receive. Why? Because they have rejected Christ, they're not able to understand, they're not able to see that, well, you know, all these scriptures are actually pointing to the Lord Jesus. A veil lies on their heart, just like how it was covering the glory, it was not allowing the people to see the glory. Anyway here, they're not able to see the glory of the Lord Jesus because even in the reading of the Old Testament, when every time the writings of Moses are read, they're not able to see the glory of the Lord Jesus because there is a veil, there is a covering over their heart. Nevertheless, verse 16, nevertheless, when one turns to the Lord, that veil is taken away. Right? When one turns to the Lord, that veil is taken away, okay. So then he says, we have such glorious hope, we use boldness of speech. Now verse 18, but we all with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord. Okay, so with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord. What is happening? First of all, all of us, we have unveiled face, that covering has been taken away because we have turned to the Lord Jesus. So there's nothing hiding us or there's nothing preventing us from seeing who God is, who the Lord Jesus is, for who he is and his glory. There's nothing hiding us, the veil has been taken away. And beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, we are being transformed, okay. The word used there is metamorph, which means that we are changed from one form to another, one image to another, we are changed, we are transformed. That is drastic change. When we see, when we look at, when we behold the glory of God, you know he says, beholding the glory of God, we are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory just as by the spirit of the Lord. So what is happening is that as we continue to behold, okay, beholding and continuing as we continue to behold, not just once, but we continue to look, we continue to gaze and observe and study the works of the Lord, okay. What is the glory of the Lord, who the Lord is and what he does, his power, his presence, everything. And so as we study, as we observe, as we study, as we gaze, as we spend time doing that, what is happening, we are continuously being transformed. As we gaze, as we study, as we continue to look upon the Lord, we are being continuously changed. We are being transformed on level of Christlikeness to another level of Christlikeness. We are being continuously changed and that continuous change happens as we observe, as we study the works of the Lord, as we spend time in the presence of the Lord. So he is saying we are being transformed into that very same image, okay. So that's a wonderful thing that we are being transformed as we continue to be, or continue to look, continue to study and the way of the Lord, the works of the Lord. We are being transformed, okay, and that's who brings about the transformation, he says, just as by the spirit of the Lord, by the spirit of the Lord, we are being continuously transformed from one glory to another, he says, into the same image, okay, into the same likeness. Whose image is this? The likeness of Christ, right, because who are we, who are we studying? Who are we gazing upon? Who are we observing the Lord himself, right? So as we observe his glory, his works, who he is, what he does, we are being changed. How are we changed by the Holy Spirit? Into what? Into the same likeness, right, into the Lord, the image of the Lord himself. Into the same likeness, we are being changed by the spirit of the Lord. So, you know, the transforming work of the Lord is in our hearts, from the inside out, it is, it becomes visible, tangible, right, so we're able to see that this work is being done by the Holy Spirit, okay. Okay, let's move on to chapter four, okay, before we move on to chapter four, any questions, any doubts, any clarifications, okay, we can talk about that. Okay, so this chapter three, again, Paul talking about his, observing the Corinthians and they're saying that, you know, you are a work of the Lord, you are a work of the Holy Spirit, the transformative work of the Holy Spirit. And he starts by saying, you know, do we need any letters of commendation, right? Because you, yourselves, your lives are our letter, is actually our letter of commendation. It's like saying, okay, you know, have you seen the lives of these Corinthians? You know, we've been stood to them, right? And our ministry is by the power of the Holy Spirit, right? Who God is the one who made us sufficient to be ministers. And as, you know, you look at their lives, that itself shows the kind of ministry that we did, the kind of ministry that we do, okay. So we're saying this itself is like a letter of commendation. We don't need any letters, your life is an episode, okay. And then he goes on to talk about the covenant and how we are actually ministers of the new covenant, which brings life, it's a glorious covenant. It's, you know, it's much glorious than the old, you know, the old covenant. The thing is that that itself, the old covenant itself was glorious, okay. And he says, if that was glorious, this is, how will not this be even more glorious? And we are ministers of this glorious, ministry, glorious covenant. And in doing so, he talks about how Moses used, covered his face with a veil and in order to, you know, stop that glory from, sorry, in order to cover that glory from being visible because people were being afraid, people were afraid. And they didn't want to come near. So he had to literally cover his face was shining and he had to literally cover his face. Now the thing is that even as he did so, you know, there is a veil upon the hearts of people, right. There is a veil which is preventing people. There is like a covering which is preventing the Jews to see Jesus for who he is. They're not able to understand who Jesus is. They're not able to come to the conclusion that Jesus is the Messiah, right. There is a veil because they've rejected, they've not turned to him. And that veil is taken away only when people turn to the Lord. So he's saying, but we with unveiled faces because we've already turned to the Lord, that veil has been taken away, you're seeing the glory of the Lord. So as we see the glory of the Lord with unveiled face, beholding the glory as in a mirror, the glory of the Lord, what happens when we see, you know, that beholding means to observe, to study, to keenly, you know, examine, to study. What happens? We are being transformed. So that's chapter three. And then also he continues on in chapter four. Let's let's look at chapter four. Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. First, he said, we are bold, we are courageous, we have much hope. Since we have this hope, we use great boldness of speech. And that's what he says here. Says, since we have this glorious ministry, this ministry of the Holy Spirit, led by the Holy Spirit, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, 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. But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the God of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord. And ourselves, your bond servants, for Jesus is safe. For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. So let's look at each of these verses. So he says in verse one, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. We are not discouraged, because he's going to talk about some discouraging things that happen. So he's saying, since we have this glorious ministry, since we are ministers of this new covenant, which is glorious, and we have the Holy Spirit, and we are with unveiled face, we are looking at the glory of the Lord, and we are being transformed into the image of Christ, even as we do that. So he says, since we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. And as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart, okay? But we have renounced, renounced means to give up, okay? To put away, put aside. So we have renounced, what have they renounced? The hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully, okay? So this is what it is. So we have renounced the hidden things of shame, that anything that would cause shame, anything that would cause any kind of shame in our lives, we have put it away, okay? I don't want to do these things. So I've put away the things of shame. And I do not walk, he says secondly, not walking in craftiness, okay? Not walking in craftiness, meaning that he does not use any cunningness or craftiness or manipulating people or use any lies for the sake of getting people to understand or getting people to believe. So he says in this ministry, it is a glorious ministry. And we have renounced, we have put away, put aside all the hidden things of shame, okay? And this is how we live when he says not walking, which means the way one's lifestyle, right? So this is how we walk, in other words, this is how we live our life, okay? Not living in craftiness, nor, so he writes about certain things, right? Renouncing the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully, right? So which means that when using the word of God, when I handle the word of God, when I use the word of God, when I minister the word of God, it is not with any ulterior motive, okay? It is with pure motives. I don't use it to cheat people, right? We don't, I don't use it deceitfully. That is what he means, right? We're not using the word of God deceitfully, not handling the word of God deceitfully, but in the right manner, not using it to gain advantage over people, not using it to enslave people, not using it to get people to do what I want for my life, right? So not putting people at a disadvantage. So he says, you know, not handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation or display of the truth, okay? But by manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the presence of God. So he's saying, you know, I don't compromise on the word, I don't change the word, I don't adulterate the word. We saw, you know, where he says, in the previous chapter two, we don't peddle the word of God, meaning we don't adulterate the word of God. We don't change it in order to benefit us and put you at risk. No. So he says, we do not do anything like that, okay? No cunningness when it comes to, you know, talking to people or interacting with people, handle the word of God in a non-deceitful, in truth. So that is what he says. I don't handle it deceitfully or by, but by manifestation of the truth. Truth is very clearly displayed. The way I live my life, you know, it's to live a truthful life. So by display of the truth and by the display of the truth, the way I live my life, by the display of the truth, commend myself, okay, in order to commend ourselves to every man's conscience. So what does that mean? The way I live my life, that itself is a recommendation or a commendation, saying to every man's conscience. So, you know, if I see Paul, then my conscience is clear, you know, the way he lives my life, he lives his life and I see it and it's like a commendation to, you know, to my conscience. I know that, okay, the way he lives his life, the way he's handling the word of God that recommends him, his ministry and he has a person to my conscience, okay? So that is what he says. By the manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God, that God is our witness, okay? Do all this and I'm making an appeal to your conscience that we are in fact doing the right thing and it is in the witness as God is our witness in the sight of God, okay? Then in verse three, you see, but even if our gospel is veiled, this good news that I've repreached, if it is veiled, if it is covered, if it is blocked in some way, it is veiled to those who are perishing, okay? Meaning that these people have not received, not accepted the truth. So it is veiled to those, it is covered to those who are perishing and it also says in verse four, whose minds that the God of this age has blinded. The God of this age is referring to Satan, referring to the powers of darkness. What has happened? Satan has blinded their minds. So you see, normally what, when we say blind, we talk about sight, right? Something that we see, not able to see. You say, okay, this person has blindness, is blinded. So here, the usage is that his minds have been blinded. Okay, so what is it? The mind is not able to receive. The mind is not able to understand. Okay, with our minds, we think, with our minds, we reason, with our minds, we understand, right? Now, similar to how we see with our eyes and we have sight because of our eyes, when our eyes are blinded, we don't see that, right? We're not able to, the vision is either blurred, it's something to do with the eyes, we're not able to see clearly. In the same manner, because Satan has done something blinded the minds, so what is it? The mind is not able to receive. The mind is not able to comprehend, understand, and receive the truth, okay? Lest the light of the gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them, right? So this is what Satan has done. Satan does, Satan has imprisoned them, actually. He's allowed them, he's not allowing them to see. Minds have been blinded. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves, your born servants for Jesus's sake. So we think we're not preaching about ourselves or about anything about us, but we preach about the Lord Jesus. And who are we? We are actually your servants, I use the word born servants, which means slaves. We are servants for the sake of the Lord Jesus. We are your servants or your slaves for the sake of the Lord Jesus, right? For the sake, meaning for the sake of his, what he wants done, right? For the sake of the ministry that he wants done, for the sake of the people whom he takes us to and asks us to serve for his, for that sake, we are even like slaves to serve you. Okay, so he brings it very different, different perspective about ministry itself, right? He's saying we are your born servants for the sake of the Lord Jesus. For it is God who commanded light to shine out of darkness who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. So what does it mean that it means that, you know, yes, God has used us. He uses us to proclaim and he has actually commanded light. The one who commanded light to shine out of darkness was six, the one who created. Okay, let me just go down. The one who is a creator God, okay. Now this God, he has commanded light, the one who actually commanded light to shine out of darkness, he has shone in our hearts. He himself has done something in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God. So saying this knowledge of the glory of God is light that takes away darkness, that dispels darkness. You know, when that light comes, then darkness leaves, right? So this light, this knowledge of the glory of God is actually light, light, which shines in the dark. So the God actually commanded light to shine out of darkness. In creation, we see that. The same God who commanded light to shine out of darkness is shining this light in our hearts to take away the darkness. He took away the darkness. He takes away the darkness in our hearts by shining the light. And what is that light? The knowledge of the glory of Christ. Knowledge of the glory of God in the phase of Jesus Christ. So which means that this knowledge of the Lord Jesus is like light which dispels darkness. Whatever ignorance is there, whatever darkness is there, whatever the works of the enemy are there, those are taken away because of this light. Then verse seven says, but we have this treasure. You know, this knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Now we have this treasure. What is the word treasure used there? You know, it's like a storehouse of valuable things. You know, the Greek word used there is thesaurus. Let's just read those eight verses, right? But we have this treasure in earth and vessels that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are heart-pressed on every side, yet not crushed. We are perplexed, yet not in despair, but not in despair. Persecuted, but not forsaken. Struck down, but not destroyed. Always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus that the life of Christ may also be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So then death is working in us, but life in you. And since we have the same spirit of faith according to what is written, I believed and therefore I spoke, we also believe and therefore speak, knowing that he who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus and will present us with you. For all things are for your sakes that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God. Okay, so let's look at verse seven. It says, but we have this treasure. Now what is that treasure that he's referring to? You know, this storehouse of valuable things. What is it? It's the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, meaning the glory of the Lord, the knowledge of the ways, the will, the desires, the plans, whatever, you know, that pertains to the Lord Jesus. Now that is like treasure. Yeah, the Greek word used there, thesaurus, meaning a deposit, a wealth, a collection of treasure. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels. He's again reminding the reader that, you know, we are, we have been created out of the earth, right? That's how God fashioned man, Genesis account, we have been created out of the earth. So we have, we carry it in earthen vessels. Earthen vessels also meaning that, you know, it's not, this is fragile. It's bound to break, right? It's, it's not long lasting. There is a time when it will, it will just crumble, right? And this is what the container, the container is like this. It's an earthly, fragile container. So we are like this. So we cannot boast about things of the earth or our physical ability or our accomplishments or anything because it is just a container. Our body is just a container. What we do in the natural, the physical, it's, it's, it's off the earth. And why did he do that? Why did he do it specifically? So that the excellence of the power may be of God. So that the excellence of the power, the power of God, you know, he's again coming back to that in one Corinthians also, you know, if you remember one Corinthians chapter one, he talks about how he wants them to put their faith in the power of God and not in the wisdom of man. He wants them, he wants the Corinthian church, he wants the believer to be acquainted, to have a knowledge of and understanding of and faith in the power of God and not in the wisdom of man. So here also he's saying, you know, it's the excellence of the power is, is of God, meaning he's the source of that. And it's not us because we carry this knowledge, we carry his presence, we carry his power and all that is in the earthly vessel. We carry it, it's a, it's a treasure that we carry in earthen vessels. Okay. So that the glory, the power of God may be displayed and so that ourselves, you know, it is not of our power, our ability, the excellence of the power is actually of God, he's the source. Okay. Verse eight, we are hard pressed here from verse eight, you know, here he goes on to talk about some of the difficulties, challenges, the trials that he has faced. Okay. And the thing is that, you know, whatever he has faced, and he's saying that we did not give up. Okay. Let's read that. We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed. We are perplexed, but not in despair, persecuted, but not forsaken, struck down, but not destroyed. Okay. So he's saying we are hard pressed, meaning we are, it's like a lot of pressure upon us, you know, there's a lot of oppression, hard pressed on every side, but we are not crushed. Okay. We are not, it's not the end. Yes, the reality is that we are facing this kind of pressure. We are hard pressed. Then secondly, we are perplexed. Okay. We don't know what to do. We have come to the end of ourselves. You know, we don't have answers sometimes. We are perplexed, but not in despair. You know, we're not troubled. We're not in despair. Yes, the reality is that we are perplexed. We don't know the answers. We don't have the answers. We don't know all the things, you know, how to solve these things, but we are not in despair. We are persecuted. The reality is that everywhere I go, everywhere they, they were being persecuted for their faith, but not forsaken. You're not forsaken by the Lord. Okay. It might be forsaken by people. It might be persecuted, but not forsaken. Struck down. Struck down. And meaning that we are actually put down physically. We are struck down by the blows of man. We are on the ground, but not destroyed. It might be struck down, but we are not destroyed. Okay. Okay. So let's, we'll take a break here and we'll come back and also discuss maybe and any questions other we can clarify. Okay. We'll take a break.