2 Corinthians 3

1 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you?

2 You yourselves are our letter, inscribed on our hearts, known and read by everyone.

3 It is clear that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

4 Such confidence before God is ours through Christ.

5 Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim that anything comes from us, but our competence comes from God.

6 And He has qualified us as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

7 Now if the ministry of death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at the face of Moses because of its fleeting glory,

8 will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious?

9 For if the ministry of condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry of righteousness!

10 Indeed, what was once glorious has no glory now in comparison to the glory that surpasses it.

11 For if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which endures!

12 Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold.

13 We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at the end of what was fading away.

14 But their minds were closed. For to this day the same veil remains at the reading of the old covenant. It has not been lifted, because only in Christ can it be removed.

15 And even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts.

16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into His image with intensifying glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

1 ¶ 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 epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:

3 [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 in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

4 And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:

5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency [is] of God;

6 ¶ 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, written [and] engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which [glory] was to be done away:

8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?

9 For if the ministration of condemnation [be] glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.

10 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 is done away [was] glorious, much more that which remaineth [is] glorious.

12 ¶ Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:

13 And not as Moses, [which] put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:

14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which [vail] is done away in Christ.

15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.

16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.

17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord [is], there [is] liberty.

18 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.

1 Do we then begin again to praise ourselves? Or have we need, as some have, of letters of praise to you, or of letters of praise from you?

2 You are our letter, written in our hearts, to be known and read by all men,

3 Who have been made manifest that ye are the epistle of Christ, prepared by our preaching ministry, and written by us, not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

4 But we have such confidence in God through Christ.

5 Not that we are able of ourselves to think anything but of ourselves, but that we are able is of GOD,

6 Who also hath made us able to do the ministry of the new testament, not of the letter, but of the spirit. For the letter killeth, but the Spirit quickeneth.

7 And the ministry, which killeth by letters, and is formed in stones, had clearness; so that the children of Israel could not look upon the face of Moses, because of the clearness of his countenance, which ceaseth,

8 how should not much more the office that gives the Spirit have clarity?

9 For if the ministry which preacheth condemnation have glory, much more hath the ministry which preacheth righteousness exceeding glory.

10 For even that part which was glorified is not to be reckoned clear against this exceeding clear.

11 For if that which ceaseth hath clearness, much more shall that which continueth have clearness].

12 Forasmuch then as we have this hope, we have need of great joy.

13 And do not as Moses did, when he hanged the covering before his face, so that the children of Israel could not see the end of him that ceaseth.

14 But their minds are hardened: for unto this day the same covering remaineth uncovered over the Old Testament, when they read it, which ceaseth in Christ.

15 But to this day, when Moses is read, the ceiling hangs before their hearts.

16 But if he turn unto the LORD, the covering is taken away.

17 For the LORD is the Spirit. And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

18 But now in us all the glory of the Lord is reflected with unveiled face: and we are changed into the same image from glory to glory, as of the Spirit of the Lord.