2 Corinthians 3
1 Are we beginning again to recommend ourselves? Or do we need, like some others, letters of recommendation to you, or letters of recommendation 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 Ye are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men;
Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men:
3 since ye are manifestly shown to be a letter of Christ by means of our service, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not on tablets of stone, but on fleshly 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 on tables of stone, but on fleshly tables of the heart.
4 And such confidence as this have we through Christ toward God;
And such trust we have through Christ toward God.
5 not that we are able of ourselves to think anything, as from ourselves; but our ability is from God;
Not that we are sufficient by ourselves to think any thing as from ourselves; but our sufficiency [is] from God;
6 who also gave us ability to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life.
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 But if the ministration of death, engraven in letters on stones, was so glorious, that the children of Israel could not look steadfastly on the face of Moses by reason of the glory of his countenance, which glory was to be done away,
But if the ministration of death, written [and] engraven on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which [glory] was to be done away;
8 shall not the ministration of the Spirit be much more glorious?
How shall not the ministration of the Spirit be rather glorious?
9 For if the ministration of condemnation had glory, much greater is the glory of the ministration of righteousness.
For if the ministration of condemnation [was] glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
10 For even that which was made glorious hath ceased to be glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory by which it is exceeded.
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 was to be done away was glorious, much more glorious is that which endureth.
For if that which was done away [was] glorious, much more that which remaineth [is] glorious.
12 Having therefore such hope, we use great plainness of speech;
Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:
13 and do not as Moses did, who put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel might not steadfastly look on the end of that which was to be done away.
And not as Moses, [who] put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:
14 But their understandings were blinded; for until this day, when the old covenant is read, the same veil remaineth, since it is not unveiled to them that it is done away in Christ;
But their minds were blinded: for until this day the same vail remaineth untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which [vail] is done away in Christ.
15 but even till this day, when Moses is read, there lieth a veil upon their heart;
But even to this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
16 but whenever it turneth to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
Nevertheless, when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
17 Now 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 But we all with unveiled face beholding in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Lord, the Spirit.
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.
