The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians

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- Chapter 3 -

Must we begin again to commend ourselves? Or are we in need (as some are) of epistles of commendation for you, or from you?

You are our Epistle, written in our hearts, which is known and read by all men.

It has been made manifest that you are the Epistle of Christ, ministered by us, and written down, not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, and not on tablets of stone, but on the fleshly tablets of the heart.

And we have such faith, through Christ, toward God.

It is not that we are adequate to think anything of ourselves, as if anything was from us. But our adequacy is from God.

And he has made us suitable ministers of the New Testament, not in the letter, but in the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.(a)

The Glory of the New Covenant

(Exodus 34:10–35)

But if the ministration of death, engraved with letters upon stones, was in glory, (so much so that the sons of Israel were not able to gaze intently upon the face of Moses, because of the glory of his countenance) even though this ministration was ineffective,

how could the ministration of the Spirit not be in greater glory?

For if the ministration of condemnation is with glory, so much more is the ministration of justice abundant in glory.

And neither was it glorified by means of an excellent glory, though it was made illustrious in its own way.

For if even what was temporary has its glory, then what is lasting has an even greater glory.

Therefore, having such a hope, we act with much confidence,

and not as Moses did, in placing a veil over his face, so that the sons of Israel would not gaze intently at his face. This was ineffective,

for their minds were obtuse. And, even until this present day, the very same veil, in the readings from the Old Testament, remains not taken away (though, in Christ, it is taken away).(b)

But even until today, when Moses is read, a veil is still set over their hearts.

But when they will have been converted to the Lord, then the veil shall be taken away.

Now the Spirit is Lord. And wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

Yet truly, all of us, as we gaze upon the unveiled glory of the face of the Lord, are transfigured into the same image, from one glory to another. And this is done by the Spirit of the Lord.

Footnotes

(a)3:6 The letter:Not rightly understood, and taken without the spirit.(Challoner)

(b)3:14 The meaning of the Old Testament is veiled in that many Jews did not recognize that it refers to Jesus as the Messiah. It remains veiled to the Jews (even in the present time), but in Christ the hidden truths of the Old Testament are revealed and the veil is taken away.(Conte)

Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as do some, letters of commendation to you or from you?

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

being revealed that you are a letter of Christ, served by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tablets of stone, but in tablets that are hearts of flesh.

Such confidence we have through Christ toward God,

not that we are sufficient of ourselves to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God,

who also made us sufficient as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

The Glory of the New Covenant

(Exodus 34:10–35)

But if the service of death, written engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look steadfastly on the face of Moses for the glory of his face, which was passing away,

won’t service of the Spirit be with much more glory?

For if the service of condemnation has glory, the service of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.

For most certainly that which has been made glorious has not been made glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasses.

For if that which passes away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory.

Having therefore such a hope, we use great boldness of speech,

and not as Moses, who put a veil on his face so that the children of Israel wouldn’t look steadfastly on the end of that which was passing away.

But their minds were hardened, for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains, because in Christ it passes away.

But to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart.

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

Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

But we all, with unveiled face seeing the glory of the Lord as in a mirror, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit.