2 Corinthians 3
1 Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? We do not need, as do some, letters of commendation to you or from you, do we?
Am I beginning again to "recommend" myself? Or do I need, as some do, letters of commendation either to you or from you?
2 You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by everyone;
You are my letter, written on my heart, known and read by all men.
3 being revealed that you are a letter of Christ, served by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tablets of stone, but in tablets that are hearts of flesh.
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 Such confidence we have through Christ toward God;
Such confidence I have through Christ before God.
5 not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from 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 made us sufficient as servants of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives 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 service of death, written engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look steadfastly on the face of Moses for the glory of his face; which was passing 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 won't service of the Spirit be with much more glory?
how much more shall the ministry of the Spirit abide in glory?
9 For if the service of condemnation has glory, the service of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.
For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, far more is the ministry of righteousness radiant in glory.
10 For truly that which has been made glorious has not been made glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasses.
Indeed that which once was glorious has lost its glory, because of the glory which surpasses it.
11 For if that which passes away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory.
For if that which was fading came in glory, far more will that which ever abides be glorious.
12 Having therefore such a hope, we use great boldness of speech,
Therefore, cherishing such a hope, I use great freedom of speech.
13 and not as Moses, who put a veil on his face, that the children of Israel would not look steadfastly on the end of that which was passing away.
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 hardened, for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains, because in Christ it passes 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 to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart.
Yes, to this very day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies on their hearts;
16 But whenever one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
but when their heart turns to our Lord the veil is stripped away.
17 Now the Lord is the 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 unveiled face looking as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit.
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.
