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?
DO we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some, commendatory letters to you, or commendatory letters from you?
2 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
Ye are our letter written in our hearts, acknowledged and read of all men:
3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of the Messiah ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living Elohim; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
because ye are manifestly seen to be the letter of Christ, of which we have been the secretaries, written not with ink, but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tables of stone, but on the fleshly tables of the heart.
4 And such trust have we through the Messiah toward YHWH:
And such confidence have we through Christ towards God:
5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of YHWH;
not that we are sufficient of ourselves to account any thing of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of 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.
Who hath made us also able ministers of the new testament, not of the letter but of the spirit; for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
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:
For if the ministry of death in letters graven on stone, was attended with glory, so that the children of Israel could not keep their eyes fixed upon the countenance of Moses, because of the glory of his countenance, though soon evanescent;
8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?
how much more will not the ministry of the Spirit be attended with 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 is glory, much more doth the ministry of righteousness excel in glory.
10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.
For that which was glorious hath no glory, comparatively, because of the glory which excelleth.
11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.
For if that which was abolished came in a glorious manner, much more is that which remaineth glorious.
12 Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:
Having therefore such a hope, we use much 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:
And act not as Moses who spread a veil over his face, in order that the children of Israel might not look stedfastly to the end of that which should be abolished.
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 the Messiah.
But their understandings were darkened: for unto this day the same veil in their reading the old testament abideth unremoved; which veil is taken away by Christ.
15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
For unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is spread over their hearts.
16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to YHWH, the vail shall be taken away.
Nevertheless, when Israel shall turn unto the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.
17 Now YHWH is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of YHWH is, there is liberty.
Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of YHWH, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of YHWH.
And we all with face unveiled, beholding the glory of the Lord reflected as in a mirror, according to the same image, receive a transformation from glory into glory, as by the Lord, the Spirit.
