2Cor 3
1
Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? or need we, as do some, epistles of commendation
to you or from you?
2
You are our epistle, written in our hearts, known and read of all men;
3
being made manifest that you 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 kills, but the spirit gives 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 steadfastly 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 has glory, much rather does the ministration
of righteousness exceed in glory.
10
For truly that which has been made glorious has not been made glorious in this respect,
by reason of the glory that surpasses.
11
For if that which passes away [was] with glory, much more that which remains [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 steadfastly 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 remains, it not being revealed [to them] that it is done away in Christ.
15
But to this day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies upon their heart.
16
But whenever 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.