2 Corinthians 3
1 Do you say that this is self-recommendation once more? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you or from you?
Are we to begin again, ourselves, to commend? or have we need, like some, of commendatory letters unto you, or from you?
2 Our letter of recommendation is yourselves--a letter written on our hearts and everywhere known and read.
Our letter, ye, are, inscribed in our hearts, noted and read by all men:
3 For all can see that you are a letter of Christ entrusted to our care, and written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the ever-living God--and not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts as tablets.
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.
4 Such is the confidence which we have through Christ in the presence of God;
But, such confidence as this, have we, through the Christ, towards God.
5 not that of ourselves we are competent to decide anything by our own reasonings, but our competency comes from God.
Not that, of our own selves, sufficient, are we, to reckon anything as of ourselves, but, our sufficiency, is of God; —
6 It is He also who has made us competent to serve Him in connexion with a new Covenant, which is not a written code but a Spirit; for the written code inflicts death, but the Spirit gives Life.
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.
7 If, however, the service that proclaims death--its code being engraved in writing upon stones--came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily on the face of Moses because of the brightness of his face--a vanishing brightness;
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,
8 will not the service of the Spirit be far more glorious?
How shall not, rather, the ministry of the Spirit, be with glory?
9 For if the service which pronounces doom had glory, far more glorious still is the service which tells of righteousness.
For, if, the ministry of condemnation was glory, much rather, doth the ministry of righteousness abound with glory,
10 For, in fact, that which was once resplendent in glory has no glory at all in this respect, that it pales before the glory which surpasses it.
For that which hath been made glorious, hath not even been made glorious, in this respect, —by reason of the surpassing glory.
11 For if that which was to be abolished came with glory, much more is that which is permanent arrayed in glory.
For, if that which was to be done away [was brought in] with glory, much more, that which is to abide, is in glory.
12 Therefore, cherishing a hope like this, we speak without reserve, and we do not imitate Moses,
Having, then, such hope as this, great openness of speech, do we use; —
13 who used to throw a veil over his face to hide from the gaze of the children of Israel the passing away of what was but transitory.
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.
14 Nay, their minds were made dull; for to this very day during the reading of the book of the ancient Covenant, the same veil remains unlifted, because it is only in Christ that it is to be abolished.
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;
15 Yes, to this day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies upon their hearts.
But, until this day, whensoever Moses is read, a veil upon their heart, doth lie;
16 But whenever the heart of the nation shall have returned to the Lord, the veil will be withdrawn.
Howbeit, whensoever he turneth unto [the] Lord, he taketh off the veil:
17 Now by "the Lord" is meant the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, freedom is enjoyed.
And, the Lord, is, the Spirit: now, where the Spirit of one who is Lord [is, there is] freedom!
18 And all of us, with unveiled faces, reflecting like bright mirrors the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same likeness, from one degree of radiant holiness to another, even as derived from the Lord the Spirit.
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.
