2 Corinthians 3
1 Do we begin again to recommend ourselves, except we need, as some, letters of recommendation to you, or from you?
DO we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?
2 You are our letter, having been written in our hearts, known and read by all men,
Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
3 revealed that you are a letter of Christ ministered by us, not written with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not in the tablets of stone, but in fleshy tablets of the heart,
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.
4 and such trust we have through the Christ toward God,
And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:
5 not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything, as of ourselves, but our sufficiency [is] of God,
Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
6 who also made us sufficient [to be] servants of the New Covenant, not of letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, and the Spirit makes alive.
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.
7 And if the ministry of death, in letters, engraved in stones, came in glory, so that the sons of Israel were not able to look steadfastly into the face of Moses, because of the glory of his face—which was being made useless,
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:
8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more in glory?
How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?
9 For if the ministry of the condemnation [is] glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness abound in glory;
For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
10 for also even that which has been glorious, has not been glorious—in this respect, because of the superior glory;
For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.
11 for if that which is being made useless [is] through glory, much more that which is remaining [is] in glory.
For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.
12 Having, then, such hope, we use much freedom of speech,
Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:
13 and [are] not as Moses, who was putting a veil on his own face, for the sons of Israel not to look steadfastly into the end of that which is being made useless,
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:
14 but their minds were hardened, for to this day the same veil at the reading of the Old Covenant remains unwithdrawn—which in Christ is being made useless—
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.
15 but until today, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart,
But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
16 and whenever they may turn to the LORD, the veil is taken away.
Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
17 And the LORD is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the LORD [is], there [is] liberty;
Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
18 and we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the LORD in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the LORD.
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.
