⁶ He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant^(A)—not of the letter^(B) but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.^(C)

The Greater Glory of the New Covenant

⁷ Now if the ministry that brought death,^(D) which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory,^(E) transitory though it was, ⁸ will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? ⁹ If the ministry that brought condemnation^(F) was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness!^(G)

²¹ For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life,^(A) even so the Son gives life^(B) to whom he is pleased to give it.

⁶³ The Spirit gives life;^(A) the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit^[a] and life.

²⁰ Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law;^(A) rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.^(B)

⁶ But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law^(A) so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.^(B)

⁹ Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. ¹⁰ I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life^(A) actually brought death. ¹¹ For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment,^(B) deceived me,^(C) and through the commandment put me to death.

¹² What we have received is not the spirit^(A) of the world,^(B) but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. ¹³ This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom^(C) but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.^[a]

¹¹ If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God.^(A) If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides,^(B) so that in all things God may be praised^(C) through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.^(D)