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?
Do you say that this is self-recommendation once more? Or do we need, as some do, 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:
Our letter of recommendation is yourselves--a letter written on our hearts and everywhere known and read.
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.
For all can see that you are a letter of Christ entrusted to our care, and written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the ever-living God--and not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts as tablets.
4 And such confidence we have, through Christ, towards God.
Such is the confidence which we have through Christ in the presence of God;
5 Not that we are sufficient to think any thing of ourselves, as of ourselves: but our sufficiency is from God.
not that of ourselves we are competent to decide anything by our own reasonings, but our competency 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.
It is He also who has made us competent to serve Him in connexion with a new Covenant, which is not a written code but a Spirit; for the written code inflicts death, 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:
If, however, the service that proclaims death--its code being engraved in writing upon stones--came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily on the face of Moses because of the brightness of his face--a vanishing brightness;
8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather in glory?
will not the service of the Spirit be far more glorious?
9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more the ministration of justice aboundeth in glory.
For if the service which pronounces doom had glory, far more glorious still is the service which tells of righteousness.
10 For even that which was glorious in this part was not glorified, by reason of the glory that excelleth.
For, in fact, that which was once resplendent in glory has no glory at all in this respect, that it pales before the glory which surpasses it.
11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is in glory.
For if that which was to be abolished came with glory, much more is that which is permanent arrayed in glory.
12 Having therefore such hope, we use much confidence:
Therefore, cherishing a hope like this, we speak without reserve, and we do not imitate Moses,
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.
who used to throw a veil over his face to hide from the gaze of the children of Israel the passing away of what was but transitory.
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).
Nay, their minds were made dull; for to this very day during the reading of the book of the ancient Covenant, the same veil remains unlifted, because it is only in Christ that it is to be abolished.
15 But even until this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart.
Yes, to this day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies upon their hearts.
16 But when they shall be converted to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.
But whenever the heart of the nation shall have returned to the Lord, the veil will be withdrawn.
17 Now the Lord is a Spirit. And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
Now by "the Lord" is meant the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, freedom is enjoyed.
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 all of us, with unveiled faces, reflecting like bright mirrors the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same likeness, from one degree of radiant holiness to another, even as derived from the Lord the Spirit.
