2 Corinthians 3
1 Must we begin again to commend ourselves? Or are we in need (as some are) of epistles of commendation for 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 are our Epistle, written in our hearts, which is known and read by all men.
Our letter, ye, are, inscribed in our hearts, noted and read by all men:
3 It has been made manifest that you are the Epistle of Christ, ministered by us, and written down, not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, and not on tablets of stone, but on the fleshly tablets of the heart.
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 And we have such faith, through Christ, toward God.
But, such confidence as this, have we, through the Christ, towards God.
5 It is not that we are adequate to think anything of ourselves, as if anything was from us. But our adequacy is 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 made us suitable ministers of the New Testament, not in the letter, but in 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 But if the ministration of death, engraved with letters upon stones, was in glory, (so much so that the sons of Israel were not able to gaze intently upon the face of Moses, because of the glory of his countenance) even though this ministration was ineffective,
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 how could the ministration of the Spirit not be in greater glory?
How shall not, rather, the ministry of the Spirit, be with glory?
9 For if the ministration of condemnation is with glory, so much more is the ministration of justice abundant in glory.
For, if, the ministry of condemnation was glory, much rather, doth the ministry of righteousness abound with glory,
10 And neither was it glorified by means of an excellent glory, though it was made illustrious in its own way.
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 even what was temporary has its glory, then what is lasting has an even greater glory.
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, having such a hope, we act with much confidence,
Having, then, such hope as this, great openness of speech, do we use; —
13 and not as Moses did, in placing a veil over his face, so that the sons of Israel would not gaze intently at his face. This was ineffective,
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 for their minds were obtuse. And, even until this present day, the very same veil, in the readings from the Old Testament, remains not taken away (though, in Christ, it is taken away).
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 But even until today, when Moses is read, a veil is still set over their hearts.
But, until this day, whensoever Moses is read, a veil upon their heart, doth lie;
16 But when they will have been converted to the Lord, then the veil shall be taken away.
Howbeit, whensoever he turneth unto [the] Lord, he taketh off the veil:
17 Now the Spirit is Lord. And wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
And, the Lord, is, the Spirit: now, where the Spirit of one who is Lord [is, there is] freedom!
18 Yet truly, all of us, as we gaze upon the unveiled glory of the face of the Lord, are transfigured into the same image, from one glory to another. And this is done by the Spirit of the Lord.
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.
