2 Corinthians 3
1 Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as do some, letters of commendation to you or from you?
Do we begin again to show you who we are? Or do we, like others, need that letters recommendatory of us should be written to you? Or, that ye should write recommendations of us?
2 You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men,
Ye are our epistle, written on our hearts, and known and read by every man.
3 being revealed that you are a letter of Christ, served by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tablets of stone, but in tablets that are hearts of flesh.
For ye know that ye are an epistle of the Messiah, ministered by us; not written with ink, but by the Spirit of the living God; not on tables of stone, but on the tablets of the heart of flesh.
4 Such confidence we have through Christ toward God,
And such confidence have we in the Messiah towards God.
5 not that we are sufficient of ourselves to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God,
Not that we are sufficient to think any thing as of ourselves; but our efficiency is from God:
6 who also made us sufficient as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
who hath fitted us to be ministers of the new Testament, not in the letter, but in the Spirit; for the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life.
7 But if the service of death, written engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look steadfastly on the face of Moses for the glory of his face, which was passing away,
Now if the ministration of death was engraved upon stones in writing, and was so glorious that the children of Israel could not look on the face of Moses, on account of the glory upon his face which vanished away;
8 will not service of the Spirit be with much more glory?
how then shall not the ministration of the Spirit be still more glorious?
9 For if the service of condemnation has glory, the service of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.
For if there was glory in the ministration of condemnation, how much more shall the ministration of justification excel in glory?
10 For most certainly that which has been made glorious has not been made glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasses.
For that which was glorious, was as if not glorious, in comparison with this which excelleth in glory.
11 For if that which passes away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory.
For if that which is abolished was glorious, much more must that which abideth be glorious.
12 Having therefore such a hope, we use great boldness of speech,
Seeing therefore we have this hope, we the more speak with boldness;
13 and not as Moses, who put a veil on his face so that the children of Israel would not look steadfastly on the end of that which was passing away.
and are not like Moses, who threw a vail over his face, that the children of Israel might not behold the termination of that which was abolished.
14 But their minds were hardened, for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains, because in Christ it passes away.
But they were blinded in their understanding; for until this day, when the old Testament is read, the same vail resteth upon them; nor is it manifest to them, that it is abolished by the Messiah.
15 But to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart.
And unto this day, when Moses is read, a vail is thrown upon their hearts.
16 But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
But when any of them is turned unto the Lord, the vail is taken from him.
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
Now the Lord himself is the Spirit. And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
18 But we all, with unveiled face seeing the glory of the Lord as in a mirror, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit.
And we all, with uncovered faces, behold as in a mirror the glory of the Lord; and are transformed into the same likeness, from glory to glory, as by the Lord the Spirit.
