2 Corinthians 3
1 Are we to begin again, ourselves, to commend? or have we need, like some, of commendatory letters unto you, or from you?
Do we begin again to show you who we are? Or do we, like others, need that letters recommendatory of us should be written to you? Or, that ye should write recommendations of us?
2 Our letter, ye, are, inscribed in our hearts, noted and read by all men:
Ye are our epistle, written on our hearts, and known and read by every man.
3 Manifesting yourselves that ye are a letter of Christ, ministered by us, —inscribed—not with ink, but with [the] Spirit of a Living God, not in tablets of stone, but in tablets [which are] hearts of flesh.
For ye know that ye are an epistle of the Messiah, ministered by us; not written with ink, but by the Spirit of the living God; not on tables of stone, but on the tablets of the heart of flesh.
4 But, such confidence as this, have we, through the Christ, towards God.
And such confidence have we in the Messiah towards God.
5 Not that, of our own selves, sufficient, are we, to reckon anything as of ourselves, but, our sufficiency, is of God; —
Not that we are sufficient to think any thing as of ourselves; but our efficiency is from God:
6 Who also hath made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant—not of letter, but of spirit, for, the letter, killeth, whereas, the Spirit, maketh alive.
who hath fitted us to be ministers of the new Testament, not in the letter, but in the Spirit; for the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life.
7 But, if, the ministry of death, in letters engraven in stones, was brought into existence with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look steadfastly into the face of Moses, by reason of the glory of his face—which [glory] was to be done away,
Now if the ministration of death was engraved upon stones in writing, and was so glorious that the children of Israel could not look on the face of Moses, on account of the glory upon his face which vanished away;
8 How shall not, rather, the ministry of the Spirit, be with glory?
how then shall not the ministration of the Spirit be still more glorious?
9 For, if, the ministry of condemnation was glory, much rather, doth the ministry of righteousness abound with glory,
For if there was glory in the ministration of condemnation, how much more shall the ministration of justification excel in glory?
10 For that which hath been made glorious, hath not even been made glorious, in this respect, —by reason of the surpassing glory.
For that which was glorious, was as if not glorious, in comparison with this which excelleth in glory.
11 For, if that which was to be done away [was brought in] with glory, much more, that which is to abide, is in glory.
For if that which is abolished was glorious, much more must that which abideth be glorious.
12 Having, then, such hope as this, great openness of speech, do we use; —
Seeing therefore we have this hope, we the more speak with boldness;
13 And are not just like Moses, [who] kept putting a veil upon his face, so that the sons of Israel should not look steadily unto the end of that which was to be done away.
and are not like Moses, who threw a vail over his face, that the children of Israel might not behold the termination of that which was abolished.
14 But their thoughts were turned into stone: for, until this very day, the same veil, upon the reading of the old covenant, abideth, not to be removed, because, in Christ, it is to be done away;
But they were blinded in their understanding; for until this day, when the old Testament is read, the same vail resteth upon them; nor is it manifest to them, that it is abolished by the Messiah.
15 But, until this day, whensoever Moses is read, a veil upon their heart, doth lie;
And unto this day, when Moses is read, a vail is thrown upon their hearts.
16 Howbeit, whensoever he turneth unto [the] Lord, he taketh off the veil:
But when any of them is turned unto the Lord, the vail is taken from him.
17 And, the Lord, is, the Spirit: now, where the Spirit of one who is Lord [is, there is] freedom!
Now the Lord himself is the Spirit. And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
18 And, we all, with unveiled face, receiving and reflecting, the glory of [the] Lord, into the same image, are being transformed, from glory into glory, —even as from a Spirit that is Lord.
And we all, with uncovered faces, behold as in a mirror the glory of the Lord; and are transformed into the same likeness, from glory to glory, as by the Lord the Spirit.
