2 Corinthians 3
1 Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need (as some do) epistles of commendation to you, or from you?
Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you?
2 You are our epistle, written in our hearts, which is known and read by all men:
You yourselves are our letter, inscribed on our hearts, known and read by everyone.
3 Being manifested, that you are the epistle of Christ, ministered by us, and written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in the fleshly tables of the heart.
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.
4 And such confidence we have, through Christ, towards God.
Such confidence before God is ours through Christ.
5 Not that we are sufficient to think any thing of ourselves, as of ourselves: but our sufficiency is from God.
Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim that anything comes from us, but our competence comes from God.
6 Who also hath made us fit ministers of the new testament, not in the letter, but in the spirit. For the letter killeth, but the spirit quickeneth.
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.
7 Now if the ministration of death, engraven with letters upon stones, was glorious; so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses, for the glory of his countenance, which is made void:
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,
8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather in glory?
will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious?
9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more the ministration of justice aboundeth in glory.
For if the ministry of condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry of righteousness!
10 For even that which was glorious in this part was not glorified, by reason of the glory that excelleth.
Indeed, what was once glorious has no glory now in comparison to the glory that surpasses it.
11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is in glory.
For if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which endures!
12 Having therefore such hope, we use much confidence:
Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold.
13 And not as Moses put a veil upon his face, that the children of Israel might not steadfastly look on the face of that which is made void.
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.
14 But their senses were made dull. For, until this present day, the selfsame veil, in the reading of the old testament, remaineth not taken away (because in Christ it is made void).
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.
15 But even until this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart.
And even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts.
16 But when they shall be converted to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.
But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
17 Now the Lord is a Spirit. And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
18 But we all beholding the glory of the Lord with open face, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord.
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.
