2 Corinthians 3
Servants of the New Agreement
1 Are we starting to brag about ourselves again? Do we need letters of introduction to you or from you, like some other people?2 You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone.3 You show that you are a letter from Christ sent through us. This letter is not written with ink but with the Spirit of the living God. It is not written on stone tablets 4 We can say this, because through Christ we feel certain before God.5 We are not saying that we can do this work ourselves. It is God who makes us able to do all that we do.
6 He made us able to be servants of a new agreement from himself to his people. This new agreement is not a written law, but it is of the Spirit. The written law brings death, but the Spirit gives life.
7 The law that brought death was written in words on stone. It came with God’s glory, which made Moses’ face so bright that the Israelites could not continue to look at it. But that glory later disappeared.8 So surely the new way that brings the Spirit has even more glory.9 If the law that judged people guilty of sin had glory, surely the new way that makes people right with God has much greater glory.10 That old law had glory, but it really loses its glory when it is compared to the much greater glory of this new way.
11 If that law which disappeared came with glory, then this new way which continues forever has much greater glory.
12 We have this hope, so we are very bold.13 We are not like Moses, who put a covering over his face so the Israelites would not see it. The glory was disappearing, and Moses did not want them to see it end.14 But their minds were closed, and even today that same covering hides the meaning when they read the old agreement. That covering is taken away only through Christ.15 Even today, when they read the law of Moses, there is a covering over their minds.16 But when a person changes and follows the Lord, that covering is taken away.17 The Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.18 Our faces, then, are not covered. We all show the Lord’s glory, and we are being changed to be like him. This change in us brings ever greater glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3
1 Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? or need we, as do some, epistles of commendation to you or from you?2 Ye are our epistle, written in our hearts, known and read of all men;3 being made manifest that ye are an 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 tables that are hearts of flesh.4 And such confidence have we through Christ to God-ward:5 not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God;6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of a new covenant; 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 on stones, came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look stedfastly upon the face of Moses for the glory of his face; which glory was passing away:8 how shall not rather the ministration of the spirit be with glory?9 For if the ministration of condemnation hath glory, much rather doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.10 For verily that which hath been made glorious hath not been made glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasseth.11 For if that which passeth away was with glory, much more that which remaineth is in glory.12 Having therefore such a hope, we use great boldness of speech,13 and are not as Moses, who put a veil upon his face, that the children of Israel should not look stedfastly on the end of that which was passing away:14 but their minds were hardened: for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remaineth, it not being revealed to them that it is done away in Christ.15 But unto this day, whensoever Moses is read, a veil lieth upon their heart.16 But whensoever it shall turn 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 liberty.18 But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit.