2 Corinthians 3
1 Doe we begin to praise our selues againe? or neede we as some other, epistles of recommendation vnto you, or letters of recommendation 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 Yee are our epistle, written in our hearts, which is vnderstand, and read of all men,
You are my letter, written on my heart, known and read by all men.
3 In that yee are manifest, to be the Epistle of Christ, ministred by vs, and written, not with yncke, but with the Spirite of the liuing God, not in tables of stone, but in fleshly 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 trust haue we through Christ to God:
Such confidence I have through Christ before God.
5 Not that we are sufficient of our selues, to thinke any thing, as of our selues: but our sufficiencie 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 also hath made vs able ministers of the Newe testament, not of the letter, but of the Spirite: for the letter killeth, but the Spirite giueth life.
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 If then the ministration of death written with letters and ingrauen in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel coulde not beholde the face of Moses, for the glorie of his countenance (which glorie is done away.)
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 Howe shall not the ministration of the Spirite be more glorious?
how much more shall the ministry of the Spirit abide in glory?
9 For if the ministerie of condemnation was glorious, much more doeth the ministration of righteousnesse exceede in glorie.
For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, far more is the ministry of righteousness radiant in glory.
10 For euen that which was glorified, was not glorified in this point, that is, as touching the exceeding glorie.
Indeed that which once was glorious has lost its glory, because of the glory which surpasses it.
11 For if that which should be abolished, was glorious, much more shall that which remaineth, be glorious.
For if that which was fading came in glory, far more will that which ever abides be glorious.
12 Seeing then that we haue such trust, we vse great boldnesse of speach.
Therefore, cherishing such a hope, I use great freedom of speech.
13 And we are not as Moses, which put a vaile vpon his face, that the children of Israel should not looke vnto the ende of that which should be abolished.
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 Therefore their mindes are hardened: for vntill this day remaineth the same couering vntaken away in the reading of the olde Testament, which vaile in Christ is put away.
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 euen vnto this day, whe Moses is read, the vaile is laid ouer their hearts.
Yes, to this very day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies on their hearts;
16 Neuertheles when their heart shall be turned to the Lord, the vaile shalbe taken away.
but when their heart turns to our Lord the veil is stripped away.
17 Nowe the Lord is the Spirite, and where the Spirite of the Lord is, there is libertie.
(The Lord means the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord abides there is freedom.)
18 But we al behold as in a mirrour the glory of the Lord with open face, and are changed into the same image, from glorie to glorie, as by the Spirit of the Lord.
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.
