2 Corinthians 3
1 Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? or need we, as do some, epistles of commendation to you or from you?
(Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or commendation from you?
2 Ye are our epistle, written in our hearts, known and read of all men;
You are our letter, inscribed on our hearts, known and read by all men;
3 being made manifest that ye are an 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 tables [that are] hearts of flesh.
you are manifestly a letter of Christ, mediated by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on stone tablets but on ‘tablets’ that are hearts of flesh.)
4 And such confidence have we through Christ to God-ward:
Now we have such confidence before God because of the Christ;
5 not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God;
not that we are competent of ourselves to reckon anything as being from ourselves, but our competence is from God—
6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
indeed, He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant; not of letter but of Spirit, because the letter kills, while the Spirit gives life.
7 But if the ministration of death, written, [and] engraven on stones, came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look stedfastly upon the face of Moses for the glory of his face; which [glory] was passing away:
Now if the ministry of death, engraved in letters on stones, came with glory—so that the children of Israel could not gaze at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance (that was fading)—
8 how shall not rather the ministration of the spirit be with glory?
how can the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious?
9 For if the ministration of condemnation is glory, much rather doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, how much more glorious is the ministry of righteousness!
10 For verily that which hath been made glorious hath not been made glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasseth.
Because what had glory could actually be said to be without glory, compared to the surpassing glory—
11 For if that which passeth away [was] with glory, much more that which remaineth [is] in glory.
if what is being set aside had glory, that which is continuing is much more glorious.
12 Having therefore such a hope, we use great boldness of speech,
Therefore, since we have such a hope, we use great boldness of speech—
13 and [are] not as Moses, [who] put a veil upon his face, that the children of Israel should not look stedfastly on the end of that which was passing away:
not like Moses, who put a veil over his own face, so that the children of Israel would not observe the end of what was fading.
14 but their minds were hardened: for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remaineth unlifted; which [veil] is done away in Christ.
But, it was their minds that were closed, because to this day that very veil remains in place when the Old Testament is read, since only in Christ is it taken away.
15 But unto this day, whensoever Moses is read, a veil lieth upon their heart.
Yes, even to this day, when Moses is read a veil lies on their heart.
16 But whensoever it shall turn to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
However, whenever anyone turns to the Lord the veil is removed.
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, [there] is liberty.
Now the Spirit is the Lord, and where the Lord's Spirit is there is freedom.
18 But we all, with unveiled face reflecting as a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit.
So we all, contemplating as in a mirror the glory of the Lord with unveiled face, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, precisely from Lord Spirit.
