2 Corinthians 3

1 Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need (as some do) epistles of commendation to you, or from you?2 You are our epistle, written in our hearts, which is known and read by all men:3 Being manifested, that you are the epistle of Christ, ministered by us, and written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in the fleshly tables of the heart.4 And such confidence we have, through Christ, towards God.5 Not that we are sufficient to think any thing of ourselves, as of ourselves: but our sufficiency is from God.6 Who also hath made us fit ministers of the new testament, not in the letter, but in the spirit. For the letter killeth, but the spirit quickeneth.7 Now if the ministration of death, engraven with letters upon stones, was glorious; so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses, for the glory of his countenance, which is made void:8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather in glory?9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more the ministration of justice aboundeth in glory.10 For even that which was glorious in this part was not glorified, by reason of the glory that excelleth.11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is in glory.12 Having therefore such hope, we use much confidence:13 And not as Moses put a veil upon his face, that the children of Israel might not steadfastly look on the face of that which is made void.14 But their senses were made dull. For, until this present day, the selfsame veil, in the reading of the old testament, remaineth not taken away (because in Christ it is made void).15 But even until this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart.16 But when they shall be converted to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.17 Now the Lord is a Spirit. And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.18 But we all beholding the glory of the Lord with open face, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord.

2 Corinthians 3

A Living Letter

1 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? We don’t need letters of recommendation to you or from you as some other people do, do we?t2 You yourselves are our letter,t written on our hearts, known and read by everyone,

3 revealingt that you are a letter of Christ, delivered by us,t written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on stone tabletss but on tablets of human hearts.
4 Now we have such confidence in God through Christ.5 Not that we are adequatet in ourselves to consider anything as if it were coming from ourselves, but our adequacyt is from God,

6 who made us adequatet to be servants of a new covenants not based on the letter but on the Spirit, for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

The Greater Glory of the Spirit’s Ministry

7 But if the ministry that produced death – carved in letters on stone tabletst – came with glory, so that the Israelitest could not keep their eyes fixed on the face of Moses because of the glory of his faces (a gloryt which was made ineffective),t8 how much more glorious will the ministry of the Spirit be?t9 For if there was glory in the ministry that produced condemnation,t how much more does the ministry that produces righteousnesst excelt in glory!10 For indeed, what had been glorious nowt has no glory because of the tremendously greater glory of what replaced it.t11 For if what was made ineffectivet came witht glory, how much more has what remainst come in glory!12 Therefore, since we have such a hope, we behave with great boldness,t13 and not like Moses who used to put a veil over his face to keep the Israelitest from staringt at the resultt of the glory that was made ineffective.t14 But their minds were closed.t For to this very day, the same veil remains when they hear the old covenant read.t It has not been removed because only in Christ is it taken away.t15 But until this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds,t16 but when onet turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.s17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is present,t there is freedom.

18 And we all, with unveiled faces reflecting the glory of the Lord,t are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another,t which is fromt the Lord, who is the Spirit.t