2 Corinthians 3
1 Are we starting to speak well of ourselves again? Or do we need to have some letter of recommendation for you, or from you, as some people do?
αρχομεθα παλιν εαυτους συνιστανειν {VAR1: ει } {VAR2: η } μη χρηζομεν ως τινες συστατικων επιστολων προς υμας η εξ υμων συστατικων
2 You are our letter, written in our experience with you, that everybody reads and knows about.
η επιστολη ημων υμεις εστε εγγεγραμμενη εν ταις καρδιαις ημων γινωσκομενη και αναγινωσκομενη υπο παντων ανθρωπων
3 You demonstrate that you are a letter from Christ, delivered by us; not written with ink but with the Spirit of the living God; not written on stone slabs but in our living experience as human beings.
φανερουμενοι οτι εστε επιστολη χριστου διακονηθεισα υφ ημων εγγεγραμμενη ου μελανι αλλα πνευματι θεου ζωντος ουκ εν πλαξιν λιθιναις αλλ εν πλαξιν καρδιας σαρκιναις
4 We have total confidence before God through Christ.
πεποιθησιν δε τοιαυτην εχομεν δια του χριστου προς τον θεον
5 Not that we would consider ourselves able to do this on our own—it's God who gives us this capacity!
ουχ οτι ικανοι εσμεν αφ εαυτων λογισασθαι τι ως εξ εαυτων αλλ η ικανοτης ημων εκ του θεου
6 He also gave us the ability to be ministers of a new agreement, based not on the letter of the law, but on the spirit. The letter of the law kills, but the spirit gives life.
ος και ικανωσεν ημας διακονους καινης διαθηκης ου γραμματος αλλα πνευματος το γαρ γραμμα αποκτεινει το δε πνευμα ζωοποιει
7 However, the old way of relating to God, written in letters carved in stone, ended in death, even though it came with God's glory—so much so that the Israelites couldn't even bear to look at Moses' face because it shone so brightly, even though the glory was fading.
ει δε η διακονια του θανατου εν γραμμασιν εντετυπωμενη εν λιθοις εγενηθη εν δοξη ωστε μη δυνασθαι ατενισαι τους υιους ισραηλ εις το προσωπον μωσεως δια την δοξαν του προσωπου αυτου την καταργουμενην
8 If that was so, shouldn't the new way of relating to God in the Spirit come with even greater glory?
πως ουχι μαλλον η διακονια του πνευματος εσται εν δοξη
9 If the old way that condemns us has glory, the new way that makes us right with God has so much more glory!
ει γαρ η διακονια της κατακρισεως δοξα πολλω μαλλον περισσευει η διακονια της δικαιοσυνης εν δοξη
10 For the old that was once glorious has no glory at all in comparison with the incredible glory of the new.
και γαρ ουδε δεδοξασται το δεδοξασμενον εν τουτω τω μερει ενεκεν της υπερβαλλουσης δοξης
11 If the old that is fading away had glory, the new that continues has so much more glory.
ει γαρ το καταργουμενον δια δοξης πολλω μαλλον το μενον εν δοξη
12 Since we have such a confident hope, we are truly bold!
εχοντες ουν τοιαυτην ελπιδα πολλη παρρησια χρωμεθα
13 We don't have to be like Moses, who had to put on a veil to cover his face so the Israelites wouldn't be dazzled by the glory, even though it was fading away.
και ου καθαπερ μωσης ετιθει καλυμμα επι το προσωπον εαυτου προς το μη ατενισαι τους υιους ισραηλ εις το τελος του καταργουμενου
14 In spite of that, they had a hard, stubborn attitude. For right up until today when the old agreement is read, the same “veil” remains. Only through Christ can it be removed.
αλλ επωρωθη τα νοηματα αυτων αχρι γαρ της σημερον το αυτο καλυμμα επι τη αναγνωσει της παλαιας διαθηκης μενει μη ανακαλυπτομενον ο τι εν χριστω καταργειται
15 Even today, whenever the books of Moses are read, a veil covers their minds.
αλλ εως σημερον ηνικα αναγινωσκεται μωσης καλυμμα επι την καρδιαν αυτων κειται
16 But when they turn and accept the Lord, the veil is removed.
ηνικα δ αν επιστρεψη προς κυριον περιαιρειται το καλυμμα
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there's freedom.
ο δε κυριος το πνευμα εστιν ου δε το πνευμα κυριου εκει ελευθερια
18 So all of us, with our faces unveiled, see and reflect the glory of the Lord as in a mirror. We are being transformed into the same mirror image, whose glory grows brighter and brighter. This is what the Lord the Spirit does.
ημεις δε παντες ανακεκαλυμμενω προσωπω την δοξαν κυριου κατοπτριζομενοι την αυτην εικονα μεταμορφουμεθα απο δοξης εις δοξαν καθαπερ απο κυριου πνευματος
