活的推荐信

我们又开始推荐自己吗?难道我们像有些人那样,需要给你们推荐信,或向你们要推荐信吗? 你们就是我们的推荐信,写在我们的[a]心里,被人人所知道、所诵读; 因为很明显,你们是基督的书信,由我们所经手;不是用墨写的,而是用永生神的灵写的;不是刻在石版上,而是刻在人的[b]心版上。

因基督而有的能力

我们藉着基督,对神有这样的确信, 并不是说,我们凭自己配得上把什么算做出于自己;而是说,我们之所以配得上是出于神。 他也使我们能够做新约的仆人[c]——不属于律法条文,而属于圣灵;因为律法条文带来死亡,而圣灵却赐予生命。

新约的仆人

如果,那以条文刻在石版上、属死亡的服事工作尚且带有荣光——以致以色列子民因为摩西脸上那渐渐消失的荣光,不能注视他的脸—— 何况那属圣灵的服事工作,难道不更带有荣光吗? 因为那带来[d]定罪的服事工作尚且有荣光,何况那带来[e]称义的服事工作,难道不更充满了荣光吗? 10 事实上,在这种情况下,那先前有荣光的,因这无限的荣光,就成了没有荣光的。 11 这样,那渐渐消失的尚且带有荣光,何况这长存的,难道不更带有荣光吗?

12 因此,我们既然怀有这样的盼望,就大有胆量地行事。 13 我们不像摩西那样,他把帕子蒙在脸上,使以色列子民不能注视那渐渐消失的荣光的结局。 14 可是,他们的心思刚硬;事实上,直到今天诵读旧约的时候,同样的帕子仍然存在,没有被揭去,因为那帕子只有[f]在基督里才被除去。 15 的确,直到今天,摩西书无论什么时候被诵读,那帕子仍然盖在他们的心上。 16 可是一个人什么时候归向主,那帕子就被除掉了。 17 主就是圣灵,主的灵在哪里,哪里就有自由; 18 而且脸上的帕子既然被揭去了,我们大家就像镜子返照出[g]主的荣光,正在被改变成与主同样的形像,从荣耀归入荣耀,这正是出于主——圣灵。

Footnotes

  1. 哥林多后书 3:2 我们的——有古抄本作“你们的”。
  2. 哥林多后书 3:3 人的——原文直译“肉体的”。
  3. 哥林多后书 3:6 仆人——或译作“执事”。
  4. 哥林多后书 3:9 带来——辅助词语。
  5. 哥林多后书 3:9 带来——辅助词语。
  6. 哥林多后书 3:14 只有——辅助词语。
  7. 哥林多后书 3:18 就像镜子返照出——或译作“就像从镜子里看见”。

Do we begin again to commend ourselves? [2C 5:12] Or surely we do not need, as some do, iggrot of haskama (letters of approval, commendation) to you or from you? [Ac 18:27; Ro 16:1]

You are our iggeret, written on our levavot, being known and being read by kol Bnei Adam.[1C 9:2]

And you show that you are an iggeret from Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, prepared by us, having been written not with ink but with the Ruach Hakodesh of the Elohim Chayyim, not on luchot of stone [SHEMOT 24:12; 31:18; 32:15,16; 34:1; DEVARIM 9:10,11] but on luchot of lev basar. [ MISHLE 3:3; 7:3; YIRMEYAH 31:33; YECHEZKEL 11:19; 36:26]

Such is the bitachon (confidence) that we have through Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach toward Hashem.

Not that we are competent from ourselves to claim anything as of ourselves, but our competence is from Hashem, [2C 2:16]

Who also made us competent as klei kodesh mesharetim (ministers) of a Brit Chadasha [SHEMOT 24:8; YIRMEYAH 31:31; 32:40; 2C 11:25; MJ 8:8-13]‖not of chumra (not of strict adherence to the letter of the law, legalism), but of the Ruach Hakodesh: for the chumra (letter of the law) kills, but the Ruach Hakodesh gives Chayyim (life). [Yn 6:63; Ro 7:6].

Now if the sherut of mavet chiseled in letters engraved on luchot of stone came with kavod (glory), so that the Bnei Yisroel were not able to gaze into the face of Moshe Rabbeinu because of P’NI MOSHE KI KARON ("face of Moshe Rabbeinu that he was radiant" SHEMOT 34:35) because of the kavod (glory) of his face, the kavod (glory) which is fading, [SHEMOT 34:29-34; YESHAYAH 42:21]

Then how much more will the avodas kodesh ministry of the Ruach Hakodesh come in kavod (glory)?

For if there was kavod in the sherut of harsha’ah (condemnation) [DEVARIM 27:26], how much more abounds in kavod the sherut of tzedek [DANIEL 9:24].[Ro 1:17;3:21]

10 For indeed what once had kavod has lost its kavod [SHEMOT 34:29-30] on account of the surpassing kavod (glory).

11 For if the thing which now is fading away came with kavod (glory), much more has that which remains come in kavod.

12 Since, then, we have such a tikvah (hope), we act with much boldness.

13 And we are not as Moshe Rabbeinu, who was putting HAMMASVEH Al PANAV ("the veil over his face" SHEMOT 34:33, 35) so that the Bnei Yisroel might not see the end of the fading kavod.

14 But their minds were hardened; [Ro 11:25] for until the present day the same veil remains unlifted at the Kri’at HaSefer Torah (the reading of Torah in shul), because the veil is taken away in Moshiach.

15 But even today, whenever Moshe [Rabbeinu] is being read, a veil lies on their levavot.

16 But whenever one turns to Adoneinu HAMMASVEH is taken away. [SHEMOT 34:34; YESHAYAH 25:7; Ro 11:23-26]

17 Now Adoneinu is HaRuach and where HaRuach Adoneinu is, there is cherut (freedom). [YESHAYAH 61:1,2; Yn 7:39; 8:32,36; Ro 8:2; Ga 5:1,13]

18 Now all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the kavod of Adoneinu [SHEMOT 16:7; 24:17] as if reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same demut from kavod to kavod, even as from HaAdon, HaRuach.

Are we beginning to commend ourselves(A) again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation(B) to you or from you? You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone.(C) 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,(D) not on tablets of stone(E) but on tablets of human hearts.(F)

Such confidence(G) we have through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves(H) to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.(I) He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant(J)—not of the letter(K) but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.(L)

The Greater Glory of the New Covenant

Now if the ministry that brought death,(M) 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,(N) transitory though it was, will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? If the ministry that brought condemnation(O) was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness!(P) 10 For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. 11 And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!

12 Therefore, since we have such a hope,(Q) we are very bold.(R) 13 We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face(S) to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. 14 But their minds were made dull,(T) for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant(U) is read.(V) It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. 15 Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. 16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord,(W) the veil is taken away.(X) 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit,(Y) and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.(Z) 18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate[a](AA) the Lord’s glory,(AB) are being transformed into his image(AC) with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 3:18 Or reflect

Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?

Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:

Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the 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 fleshy tables of the heart.

And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:

Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;

Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:

How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?

For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.

10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.

11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.

12 Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:

13 And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:

14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.

15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.

16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.

17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.