2 Corinthians 2:12-3:6

New International Version

Ministers of the New Covenant

¹² Now when I went to Troas^(A) to preach the gospel of Christ^(B) and found that the Lord had opened a door^(C) for me, ¹³ I still had no peace of mind,^(D) because I did not find my brother Titus^(E) there. So I said goodbye to them and went on to Macedonia.^(F)

¹⁴ But thanks be to God,^(G) who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma^(H) of the knowledge^(I) of him everywhere. ¹⁵ For we are to God the pleasing aroma^(J) of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.^{(K) 16} To the one we are an aroma that brings death;^(L) to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task?^{(M) 17} Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit.^(N) On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity,^(O) as those sent from God.^(P)

3 Are we beginning to commend ourselves^(Q) again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation^(R) to you or from you? ² You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone.^{(S) 3} You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God,^(T) not on tablets of stone^(U) but on tablets of human hearts.^(V)

⁴ Such confidence^(W) we have through Christ before God. ⁵ Not that we are competent in ourselves^(X) to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.^{(Y) 6} He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant^(Z)—not of the letter^(AA) but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.^(AB)