2 Corinthians 3
1 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you?
Are we to begin again, ourselves, to commend? or have we need, like some, of commendatory letters unto you, or from you?
2 You yourselves are our letter, inscribed on our hearts, known and read by everyone.
Our letter, ye, are, inscribed in our hearts, noted and read by all men:
3 It is clear that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
Manifesting yourselves that ye are a letter of Christ, ministered by us, —inscribed—not with ink, but with [the] Spirit of a Living God, not in tablets of stone, but in tablets [which are] hearts of flesh.
4 Such confidence before God is ours through Christ.
But, such confidence as this, have we, through the Christ, towards God.
5 Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim that anything comes from us, but our competence comes from God.
Not that, of our own selves, sufficient, are we, to reckon anything as of ourselves, but, our sufficiency, is of God; —
6 And He has qualified us as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
Who also hath made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant—not of letter, but of spirit, for, the letter, killeth, whereas, the Spirit, maketh alive.
7 Now if the ministry of death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at the face of Moses because of its fleeting glory,
But, if, the ministry of death, in letters engraven in stones, was brought into existence with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look steadfastly into the face of Moses, by reason of the glory of his face—which [glory] was to be done away,
8 will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious?
How shall not, rather, the ministry of the Spirit, be with glory?
9 For if the ministry of condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry of righteousness!
For, if, the ministry of condemnation was glory, much rather, doth the ministry of righteousness abound with glory,
10 Indeed, what was once glorious has no glory now in comparison to the glory that surpasses it.
For that which hath been made glorious, hath not even been made glorious, in this respect, —by reason of the surpassing glory.
11 For if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which endures!
For, if that which was to be done away [was brought in] with glory, much more, that which is to abide, is in glory.
12 Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold.
Having, then, such hope as this, great openness of speech, do we use; —
13 We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at the end of what was fading away.
And are not just like Moses, [who] kept putting a veil upon his face, so that the sons of Israel should not look steadily unto the end of that which was to be done away.
14 But their minds were closed. For to this day the same veil remains at the reading of the old covenant. It has not been lifted, because only in Christ can it be removed.
But their thoughts were turned into stone: for, until this very day, the same veil, upon the reading of the old covenant, abideth, not to be removed, because, in Christ, it is to be done away;
15 And even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts.
But, until this day, whensoever Moses is read, a veil upon their heart, doth lie;
16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
Howbeit, whensoever he turneth unto [the] Lord, he taketh off the veil:
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
And, the Lord, is, the Spirit: now, where the Spirit of one who is Lord [is, there is] freedom!
18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into His image with intensifying glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
And, we all, with unveiled face, receiving and reflecting, the glory of [the] Lord, into the same image, are being transformed, from glory into glory, —even as from a Spirit that is Lord.
