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新約的執事

難道我們又開始推薦自己嗎?難道我們像某些人那樣要用人的推薦信介紹給你們,或用你們的推薦信給人嗎? 你們就是我們的推薦信,寫在我們心裏,被眾人所知道、所誦讀的, 而你們顯明自己是基督的書信,藉着我們寫成的。不是用墨寫的,而是用永生 神的靈寫的;不是寫在石版上,而是寫在心版上的。

我們藉着基督才對 神有這樣的信心。 並不是我們憑自己配做甚麼事,我們之所以配做是出於 神; 他使我們能配作新約的執事,不是文字上的約,而是聖靈的約;因為文字使人死,聖靈能使人活。

那用字刻在石頭上屬死的事奉尚且有榮光,以致以色列人因摩西臉上那逐漸褪色的榮光不能定睛看他的臉, 那屬聖靈的事奉不是更有榮光嗎? 若是那使人定罪的事奉有榮光,那使人稱義的事奉的榮光就越發大了。 10 那從前有榮光的,因這更大的榮光,就算不得有榮光了; 11 若是那逐漸褪色的有榮光,這長存的就更有榮光了。

12 既然我們有這樣的盼望,就大有膽量, 13 不像摩西將面紗蒙在臉上,使以色列人不能定睛看到那逐漸褪色的榮光的結局。 14 但他們的心地剛硬,直到今日誦讀舊約的時候,這同樣的面紗還沒有揭去;因為這面紗在基督裏才被廢去。 15 然而直到今日,每逢誦讀摩西書的時候,面紗還在他們心上。 16 但他們的心何時歸向主,面紗就何時除去。 17 主就是那靈;主的靈在哪裏,哪裏就有自由。 18 既然我們眾人以揭去面紗的臉得以看見[a]主的榮光,好像從鏡子裏返照,就變成了與主有同樣的形像,榮上加榮,如同從主的靈[b]變成的。

Footnotes

  1. 3.18 「看見」或譯「反映」。
  2. 3.18 「從主的靈」或譯「從主,就是靈」。

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.

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

Christ’s Epistle(A)

Do (B)we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as some others, (C)epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you? (D)You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; clearly you are an epistle of Christ, (E)ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not (F)on tablets of stone but (G)on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.

The Spirit, Not the Letter

And we have such trust through Christ toward God. (H)Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but (I)our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as (J)ministers of (K)the new covenant, not (L)of the letter but of the [a]Spirit; for (M)the letter kills, (N)but the Spirit gives life.

Glory of the New Covenant

But if (O)the ministry of death, (P)written and engraved on stones, was glorious, (Q)so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, how will (R)the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry (S)of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. 10 For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. 11 For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious.

12 Therefore, since we have such hope, (T)we use great boldness of speech— 13 unlike Moses, (U)who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at (V)the end of what was passing away. 14 But (W)their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. 15 But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. 16 Nevertheless (X)when one turns to the Lord, (Y)the veil is taken away. 17 Now (Z)the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is (AA)liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding (AB)as in a mirror (AC)the glory of the Lord, (AD)are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as [b]by the Spirit of the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 3:6 Or spirit
  2. 2 Corinthians 3:18 Or from the Lord, the Spirit