2 Corinthians 3
1 [As I write these things about myself], I am [RHQ] not [doing it] to boast about how good I am, [as some of you say I do]. Some people always carry letters with them that tell how well they work, [that other people] have [written]. But I do not [RHQ] need [to bring] letters like that [when I come to you]. Nor do I need to ask you [to write] letters like that [for me when I go to other congregations].
ⲁ̅ⲁⲛⲁⲣⲭⲓ ⲟⲛ ⲛ̅ⲥⲩⲛϩⲓⲥⲧⲁ ⲙ̅ⲙⲟⲛ. ⲙⲏⲧⲉⲓ ⲧⲛ̅ⲣ̅ⲭⲣⲓⲁ ⲛ̅ϩⲉⲛⲉⲡⲓⲥⲧⲟⲗⲏ. ⲉⲩⲥⲩⲛϩⲓⲥⲧⲁ ⲙ̅ⲙⲟⲛ ⲛⲏⲧⲛ̅ ⲛ̅ⲑⲉ ⲛ̅ϩⲉⲛⲕⲟⲟⲩⲉ. ⲏ̅ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲛ̅ⲧⲏⲩⲧⲛ̅ ⲛ̅ⲛⲁϩⲣⲛ̅ϩⲉⲛⲕⲟⲟⲩⲉ.
2 You yourselves are [MET] [like a] letter that recommends my work [for God to everyone]. People see [how Christ changed] your [lives when you believed the message that I taught you]. Everyone [who knows you] can see [the result of my work for God].
ⲃ̅ⲧⲉⲛⲉⲡⲓⲥⲧⲟⲗⲏ ⲛ̅ⲧⲱⲧⲛ̅ ⲡⲉ ⲉⲥⲥⲏϩ ϩⲛ̅ⲛⲉⲛϩⲏⲧ ⲉⲩⲉⲓⲙⲉ ⲉⲣⲟⲥ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲉⲩⲱϣ ⲙ̅ⲙⲟⲥ ϩⲓⲧⲛ̅ⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲛⲓⲙ
3 You are [MET] [like] a letter that Christ himself [has written] that says good things about [my work for God in your lives]. You show [people by the way you now conduct your lives that God has changed your lives] as a result of my work [among you. People did] not [find out about you by] reading [a letter that was written to them on paper] with [pen and] ink. Instead, [they saw how] the Spirit of the all-powerful God [has changed your lives]. Nor [did people find out about you by reading] a letter that was carved on stone slabs [like the stone slabs that God gave to Moses]. Instead, [it was the change that God’s Spirit made in] your lives [MET] [that they saw].
ⲅ̅ⲉⲧⲉⲧⲛ̅ⲟⲩⲟⲛϩ̅ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϫⲉ ⲛ̅ⲧⲉⲧⲛ̅ⲧⲉⲡⲓⲥⲧⲟⲗⲏ ⲙ̅ⲡⲉⲭ̅ⲥ̅. ⲉⲁⲩⲇⲓⲁⲕⲟⲛⲓ ⲙ̅ⲙⲟⲥ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲟⲟⲧⲛ̅ ⲉⲥⲥⲏϩ ⲙ̅ⲙⲉⲗⲁ ⲁⲛ. ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ϩⲙ̅ⲡⲉⲡ̅ⲛ̅ⲁ̅ ⲙ̅ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲉⲧⲟⲛϩ. ϩⲛ̅ϩⲉⲛⲡⲗⲁⲝ ⲁⲛ ⲛ̅ⲱⲛⲉ. ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ϩⲛ̅ϩⲉⲛⲡⲗⲁⲝ ⲛ̅ϩⲏⲧ ⲛ̅ⲥⲁⲣⲝ̅·
4 I [can very] confidently [write these things about the work that Silas, Timothy, and I did among you, because God knows that what I write is true. We(exc) are true workers] for God [because of what] Christ [has done for us].
ⲇ̅ⲟⲩⲛ̅ⲧⲁⲛ ⲇⲉ ⲙ̅ⲙⲁⲩ ⲛ̅ⲟⲩⲛⲁϩⲧⲉ ⲛ̅ⲧⲉⲓ̈ⲙⲓⲛⲉ ⲉⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲟⲟⲧϥ̅ ⲙ̅ⲡⲉⲭ̅ⲥ̅.
5 We [(exc)], by ourselves, do not have the ability [to do this work]. None of us [apostles] can say, “[I have changed the lives of these people].” God is the one [who has given us this ability].
ⲉ̅ϫⲉ ⲉⲛⲟ ⲁⲛ ⲛ̅ϩⲓⲕⲁⲛⲟⲥ ⲙ̅ⲙⲓⲛ ⲙ̅ⲙⲟⲛ ⲉⲧⲣⲉⲛⲙⲉⲉⲩⲉ ⲉⲩϩⲱⲃ ϩⲁⲡⲉⲛϩⲧⲟⲣ. ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲧⲉⲛⲙⲛ̅ⲧϩⲓⲕⲁⲛⲟⲥ ⲉⲥϣⲟⲟⲡ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲙ̅ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ.
6 He is the one who enables us [(exc)] to be his messengers. [He has enabled us to tell people the message] about the new agreement [that he is making with them]. This is not a [message about obeying all the] written laws [of his old agreement that he made with the Jewish people]. Instead, [it is a message about God giving us his] Spirit. [Previously, God condemned people to be] separated from him forever [if they did not obey his laws]. But by [God’s new agreement] his Spirit enables people to live [eternally].
ⲋ̅ⲡⲁⲓ̈ ⲉⲛⲧⲁϥⲧⲣⲉⲛⲣ̅ⲡϣⲁ ⲛ̅ⲣ̅ⲇⲓⲁⲕⲟⲛⲟⲥ ⲛ̅ⲧⲇⲓⲁⲑⲏⲕⲏ ⲛ̅ⲃⲣ̅ⲣⲉ ⲛ̅ⲧⲉⲡⲉⲥϩⲁⲓ̈ ⲁⲛ. ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲙ̅ⲡⲉⲡ̅ⲛ̅ⲁ̅. ⲡⲉⲥϩⲁⲓ̈ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲙⲟⲩⲟⲩⲧ ⲡⲉⲡ̅ⲛ̅ⲁ̅ ⲇⲉ ⲧⲁⲛϩⲟ·
7 [Moses] taught [the people that if they did not obey God’s laws completely they would be] separated from God forever. [God] wrote [his laws] on stone [slabs. Then he gave them to Moses to teach them to the people. Although God’s laws condemned the people] to die, [when Moses brought those laws down from Sinai Mountain, God caused Moses’ face to shine] Moses’ face to shine radiantly [to show the people that these laws were God’s laws. It shone]. so brightly that the people of Israel could not keep looking at Moses’ face. [They had to look away]. But the brightness was slowly fading away.
ⲍ̅ⲉϣϫⲉⲧⲇⲓⲁⲕⲟⲛⲓⲁ ⲇⲉ ⲙ̅ⲡⲙⲟⲩ ⲉⲥϣⲉⲧϣⲱⲧ ϩⲛ̅ϩⲉⲛⲥϩⲁⲓ̈ ϩⲛ̅ϩⲉⲛⲱⲛⲉ ⲁⲥϣⲱⲡⲉ ϩⲛ̅ⲟⲩⲉⲟⲟⲩ. ϩⲱⲥⲧⲉ ⲛ̅ⲥⲉⲧⲙ̅ϭⲙ̅ϭⲟⲙ ⲛ̅ϭⲓⲛ̅ϣⲏⲣⲉ ⲙ̅ⲡⲓⲥⲣⲁⲏⲗ ⲉϭⲱϣⲧ̅ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲉⲡϩⲟ ⲙ̅ⲙⲱⲩ̈ⲥⲏⲥ ⲉⲧⲃⲉⲡⲉⲟⲟⲩ ⲙ̅ⲡⲉϥϩⲟ ⲡⲁⲓ̈ ⲉⲧⲛⲁⲟⲩⲱⲥϥ̅.
8 [So], [since God showed in such a wonderful way that those laws that condemned the people to die were from him], surely when we [(exc)] teach [people about how God’s] Spirit will [change their lives], [God will show] in an even more wonderful way [that] it is [his message.] [RHQ]
ⲏ̅ⲛ̅ⲁϣ ⲛ̅ϩⲉ ⲛ̅ϩⲟⲩⲟ ⲉⲛ̅ⲧⲇⲓⲁⲕⲟⲛⲓⲁ ⲁⲛ ⲙ̅ⲡⲉⲡ̅ⲛ̅ⲁ̅ ⲛⲁϣⲱⲡⲉ ϩⲛ̅ⲟⲩⲉⲟⲟⲩ.
9 The message [that Moses taught them was wonderful, but when people heard] that message, [they realized that they were sinners and that God] would punish them. But God’s message that we [(exc) teach is a] much more wonderful message. We teach people that God will (erase the record of/declare people no longer guilty for) [the sinful things that they have done].
ⲑ̅ⲉϣϫⲉⲁⲩⲉⲟⲟⲩ ⲅⲁⲣ ϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲛ̅ⲧⲇⲓⲁⲕⲟⲛⲓⲁ ⲙ̅ⲡⲧϭⲁⲉⲓⲟ. ⲡⲟⲥⲱ ⲙⲁⲗⲗⲟⲛ ⲥⲛⲁⲣ̅ϩⲟⲩⲟ ⲛ̅ϭⲓⲧⲇⲓⲁⲕⲟⲛⲓⲁ ⲛ̅ⲧⲇⲓⲕⲁⲓⲟⲥⲩⲛⲏ ϩⲙ̅ⲡⲉⲟⲟⲩ.
10 [The truth is that, although the work of teaching the people to obey God’s laws] was once important, it is not as important now, because [the work of teaching people that God will forgive them and] enable them to live to please him is far more important.
ⲓ̅ⲕⲁⲓⲅⲁⲣ ⲙⲡⲟⲩϯⲉⲟⲟⲩ ⲙ̅ⲡⲉⲧⲧⲁⲓ̈ⲏⲩ ϩⲙ̅ⲡⲉⲉⲓⲙⲉⲣⲟⲥ ⲉⲧⲃⲉⲡⲉϩⲟⲩⲟ ⲙ̅ⲡⲉⲟⲟⲩ.
11 Furthermore, [the message that Moses taught was not a lasting message, just like] the brightness on his face was not lasting and soon faded away. But [when God gives his Spirit to people], the wonderful work that [God’s Spirit does in their lives] is much greater [because] it lasts forever.
ⲓ̅ⲁ̅ⲉϣϫⲉⲁⲡⲉⲧⲛⲁⲟⲩⲱⲥϥ̅ ⲅⲁⲣ ϣⲱⲡⲉ ϩⲓⲧⲛ̅ⲟⲩⲉⲟⲟⲩ. ⲛ̅ϩⲟⲩⲟ ϭⲉ ⲡⲉⲧⲛⲁϭⲱ ϥⲛⲁϣⲱⲡⲉ ϩⲙ̅ⲡⲉⲟⲟⲩ·
12 We [(exc)] know that the message that we teach is a [much more wonderful message than the message that Moses taught]. So we [can preach] boldly.
ⲓ̅ⲃ̅ⲉⲩⲛ̅ⲧⲁⲛ ϭⲉ ⲙ̅ⲙⲁⲩ ⲛ̅ⲧⲉⲉⲓϩⲉⲗⲡⲓⲥ ⲛ̅ⲧⲉⲓ̈ⲙⲓⲛⲉ. ⲧⲛ̅ⲭⲣⲱ ϩⲛ̅ⲟⲩⲛⲟϭ ⲙ̅ⲡⲁⲣϩⲏⲥⲓⲁ.
13 We do not [need to put a veil over our faces when we teach people], as Moses did. Moses put a veil over his face so that the Israelites would not see that the radiance [on his face] soon faded away. [Similarly, the glory of the old agreement has also faded away].
ⲓ̅ⲅ̅ⲉⲛⲕⲁⲧⲁⲑⲉ ⲁⲛ ⲙ̅ⲙⲱⲩ̈ⲥⲏⲥ ⲉϣⲁϥⲕⲱ ⲛ̅ⲟⲩⲕⲁⲗⲩⲙⲁ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ̈ ⲉϫⲙ̅ⲡⲉϥϩⲟ ϫⲉ ⲛ̅ⲛⲉⲩϭⲱϣⲧ̅ ⲛ̅ϭⲓⲛ̅ϣⲏⲣⲉ ⲙ̅ⲡⲓⲥⲣⲁⲏⲗ ⲉⲑⲁⲏ ⲙ̅ⲡⲉⲧⲛⲁⲟⲩⲱⲥϥ̅.
14 But the Israelis stubbornly refused to [understand that the old agreement would end]. Even now, when they read the old agreement, [they still do not realize that it has ended. It is as if] [MET] that same veil [that Moses put on his face] is now over their [minds, keeping them from understanding God’s true message]. They will [understand that message] only when [they come to trust] in Christ. Then [it will be as though God] has removed the veil.
ⲓ̅ⲇ̅ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲁⲩⲧⲱⲙ ⲛ̅ϭⲓⲛⲉⲩⲙⲉⲉⲩⲉ ⲛ̅ϩⲏⲧ ϣⲁϩⲣⲁⲓ̈ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲉⲡⲟⲟⲩ ⲛ̅ϩⲟⲟⲩ ⲡⲓϩⲃⲥ̅ ⲛ̅ⲟⲩⲱⲧ ϣⲟⲟⲡ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ̈ ⲉϫⲙ̅ⲡⲱϣ ⲛ̅ⲧⲇⲓⲁⲑⲏⲕⲏ ⲛ̅ⲁⲥ. ⲉⲛⲥⲉϭⲱⲗⲡ̅ ⲙ̅ⲙⲟϥ̅ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲁⲛ ϫⲉ ⲉϥⲛⲁⲟⲩⲱⲥϥ̅ ϩⲙ̅ⲡⲉⲭ̅ⲥ̅.
15 [Throughout all these years], even until now, when [the Israelis] read what Moses [write, it is as though] a veil is covering their minds.
ⲓ̅ⲉ̅ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ϣⲁⲡⲟⲟⲩ ⲉⲩⲛⲁⲱϣ ⲙ̅ⲙⲱⲩ̈ⲥⲏⲥ ⲟⲩⲛ̅ⲟⲩⲕⲁⲗⲩⲙⲁ ⲕⲏ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ̈ ⲉϫⲙ̅ⲡⲉⲩϩⲏⲧ.
16 But when any of them believes in the Lord [Jesus], [God] removes that veil from them.
ⲓ̅ⲋ̅ⲉϥⲉⲓ ⲇⲉ ⲉϥⲛⲁⲕⲟⲧϥ̅ ⲉⲡϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ ϣⲁϥϥⲓ ⲙ̅ⲡⲕⲁⲗⲩⲙⲁ.
17 [It is by the power of his] Spirit that the Lord [works in our lives], and the Lord’s Spirit has set us free [from trying to obey all the rules and rituals that God gave Moses].
ⲓ̅ⲍ̅ⲡϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ ⲇⲉ ⲡⲉ ⲡⲉⲡ̅ⲛ̅ⲁ̅· ⲡⲙⲁ ⲇⲉ ⲉⲧⲉⲣⲉⲡⲉⲡ̅ⲛ̅ⲁ̅ ⲙ̅ⲡϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ ⲛ̅ϩⲏⲧϥ̅ ⲉⲥⲙ̅ⲙⲁⲩ ⲛ̅ϭⲓⲧⲙⲛ̅ⲧⲣⲙ̅ϩⲉ.
18 [It is as though God] has removed the veil from our faces [MET]. We realize how awesome Jesus is. As we realize that, we are continually being changed {[the Holy Spirit is] continually changing us} to become more and more like Jesus, [so that people can see], more and more, how awesome [Jesus is]. It is the Spirit of the Lord who does [this].
ⲓ̅ⲏ̅ⲁⲛⲟⲛ ⲇⲉ ⲧⲏⲣⲛ̅ ϩⲛ̅ⲟⲩϩⲟ ⲉϥϭⲟⲗⲡ̅ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ. ⲉⲛⲉⲓⲱⲣϩ̅ ⲙ̅ⲡⲉⲟⲟⲩ ⲙ̅ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ϩⲓⲧⲛ̅ⲟⲩⲉⲓⲁⲗ ⲧⲛ̅ϫⲓϩⲣⲃ̅ ⲛ̅ϯϩⲓⲕⲱⲛ ⲛ̅ⲟⲩⲱⲧ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲛ̅ⲟⲩⲉⲟⲟⲩ ⲉⲩⲉⲟⲟⲩ ⲕⲁⲧⲁⲑⲉ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲙ̅ⲡϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ ⲡⲉⲡ̅ⲛ̅ⲁ̅·
