2 Corinthians 3
1 (Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or commendation from you?
Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? We do not need, as do some, letters of commendation to you or from you, do we?
2 You are our letter, inscribed on our hearts, known and read by all men;
You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by everyone;
3 you are manifestly a letter of Christ, mediated by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on stone tablets but on ‘tablets’ that are hearts of flesh.)
being revealed that you are a letter of Messiah, served by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tablets of stone, but in tablets that are hearts of flesh.
4 Now we have such confidence before God because of the Christ;
Such confidence we have through Messiah toward God;
5 not that we are competent of ourselves to reckon anything as being from ourselves, but our competence is from God—
not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God;
6 indeed, He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant; not of letter but of Spirit, because the letter kills, while the Spirit gives life.
who also made us sufficient as servants 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 ministry of death, engraved in letters on stones, came with glory—so that the children of Israel could not gaze at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance (that was fading)—
But if the service of death, written engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look steadfastly on the face of Moses for the glory of his face; which was passing away:
8 how can the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious?
won't service of the Spirit be with much more glory?
9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, how much more glorious is the ministry of righteousness!
For if the service of condemnation has glory, the service of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.
10 Because what had glory could actually be said to be without glory, compared to the surpassing glory—
For truly that which has been made glorious has not been made glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasses.
11 if what is being set aside had glory, that which is continuing is much more glorious.
For if that which passes away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory.
12 Therefore, since we have such a hope, we use great boldness of speech—
Having therefore such a hope, we use great boldness of speech,
13 not like Moses, who put a veil over his own face, so that the children of Israel would not observe the end of what was fading.
and not as Moses, who put a veil on his face, that the children of Israel would not look steadfastly on the end of that which was passing away.
14 But, it was their minds that were closed, because to this day that very veil remains in place when the Old Testament is read, since only in Christ is it taken away.
But their minds were hardened, for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains, because in Messiah it passes away.
15 Yes, even to this day, when Moses is read a veil lies on their heart.
But to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart.
16 However, whenever anyone turns to the Lord the veil is removed.
But whenever one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
17 Now the Spirit is the Lord, and where the Lord's Spirit is there is freedom.
Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
18 So we all, contemplating as in a mirror the glory of the Lord with unveiled face, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, precisely from Lord Spirit.
But we all, with unveiled face looking as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit.
