2 Corinthians 3
1 DO we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation 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 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
You are my letter, written on my heart, known and read by all men.
3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy 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 have we through Christ to God-ward:
Such confidence I have through Christ before God.
5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency 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 us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth 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 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be 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 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?
how much more shall the ministry of the Spirit abide in glory?
9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, far more is the ministry of righteousness radiant in glory.
10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.
Indeed that which once was glorious has lost its glory, because of the glory which surpasses it.
11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.
For if that which was fading came in glory, far more will that which ever abides be glorious.
12 Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:
Therefore, cherishing such a hope, I use great freedom of speech.
13 And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is 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 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.
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 even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
Yes, to this very day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies on their hearts;
16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
but when their heart turns to our Lord the veil is stripped away.
17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
(The Lord means the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord abides there is freedom.)
18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even 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.
