2 Corinthians 2:14-3:6

Holman Christian Standard Bible

A Ministry of Life or Death

¹⁴ But thanks be to God,^(A) who always puts us on display^[a] in Christ^[b] and through us spreads the aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.^{(B) 15} For to God we are the fragrance^(C) of Christ among those who are being saved^(D) and among those who are perishing.^{(E) 16} To some we are an aroma of death^(F) leading to death, but to others, an aroma of life^(G) leading to life. And who is competent for this? ¹⁷ For we are not like the many^[c] who market God’s message^(H) for profit. On the contrary, we speak with sincerity in Christ, as from God and before God.

Living Letters

3 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some, letters of recommendation to you or from you? ² You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, recognized and read by everyone.^{(I) 3} It is clear that you are Christ’s letter,^(J) produced^[d] by us, not written with ink but with the Spirit of the living God^(K)—not on stone tablets^(L) but on tablets that are hearts of flesh.^(M)

Paul’s Competence

⁴ We have this kind of confidence toward God through Christ. ⁵ It is not that we are competent in^[e] ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our competence is from God.^{(N) 6} He has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant,^(O) not of the letter,^(P) but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit produces life.