2 Corinthians 3
1 Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or do we need, as some, commendatory letters to you, or [commendatory] from you?
Am I beginning again to "recommend" myself? Or do I need, as some do, letters of commendation either to you or from you?
2 Ye are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read of all men,
You are my letter, written on my heart, known and read by all men.
3 being manifested to be Christ's epistle ministered by us, written, not with ink, but [the] Spirit of [the] living God; not on stone tables, but on fleshy tables of [the] heart.
Since all can see that you are a letter of Christ transcribed by men, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts as tablets.
4 And such confidence have we through the Christ towards God:
Such confidence I have through Christ before God.
5 not that we are competent of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, but our competency [is] of God;
Not that I am sufficient in myself to reach any conclusion in my own wisdom; but my sufficiency is from God.
6 who has also made us competent, [as] ministers of [the] new covenant; not of letter, but of spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit quickens.
It is he who has also made me sufficient as a minister of a new covenant; not of a letter but of a spirit; for the letter kills, but the spirit makes alive.
7 (But if the ministry of death, in letters, graven in stones, began with glory, so that the children of Israel could not fix their eyes on the face of Moses, on account of the glory of his face, [a glory] which is annulled;
If, however, the administration of death, written with letters and engraved on stones, began in glory, so that the children of Israel could not gaze steadily on the face of Moses, because of the glory of his face - a glory even then fading -
8 how shall not rather the ministry of the Spirit subsist in glory?
how much more shall the ministry of the Spirit abide in glory?
9 For if the ministry of condemnation [be] glory, much rather the ministry of righteousness abounds in glory.
For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, far more is the ministry of righteousness radiant in glory.
10 For also that [which was] glorified is not glorified in this respect, on account of the surpassing glory.
Indeed that which once was glorious has lost its glory, because of the glory which surpasses it.
11 For if that annulled [was introduced] with glory, much rather that which abides [subsists] in glory.
For if that which was fading came in glory, far more will that which ever abides be glorious.
12 Having therefore such hope, we use much boldness:
Therefore, cherishing such a hope, I use great freedom of speech.
13 and not according as Moses put a veil on his own face, so that the children of Israel should not fix their eyes on the end of that annulled.
I do not do as Moses did, who used to cover his face with a veil to keep the children of Israel from beholding the passing of a fading glory.
14 But their thoughts have been darkened, for unto this day the same veil remains in reading the old covenant, unremoved, which in Christ is annulled.
Nay, their minds were made dull; for to this very day, at the public reading of the Old Testament, the same veil rests thereon, because it is not revealed to them that in Christ the veil is taken away.
15 But unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil lies upon their heart.
Yes, to this very day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies on their hearts;
16 But when it shall turn to [the] Lord, the veil is taken away.)
but when their heart turns to our Lord the veil is stripped away.
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, but where the Spirit of [the] Lord [is, there is] liberty.
(The Lord means the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord abides there is freedom.)
18 But we all, looking on the glory of the Lord, with unveiled face, are transformed according to the same image from glory to glory, even as by [the] Lord [the] Spirit.
And we all, with unveiled faces, reflecting like a mirror the glory of the Lord, are ourselves continually being transformed into the same likeness, from glory to glory, as by the Lord, the Spirit.
