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The Ministry That Comes from Christ Is Greater Than Moses’ Ministry

Do we have to show you our qualifications again? Do we, like some people, need letters that recommend us to you or letters from you that recommend us to others? You’re our letter of recommendation written in our hearts that everyone knows and reads. It’s clear that you are Christ’s letter, written as a result of our ministry. You are a letter written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, a letter written not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

Christ gives us confidence about you in God’s presence. By ourselves we are not qualified in any way to claim that we can do anything. Rather, God makes us qualified. He has also qualified us to be ministers of a new promise,[a] a spiritual promise, not a written one. Clearly, what was written brings death, but the Spirit brings life.

The ministry that brought death was inscribed on stone. Yet, it came with such glory that the people of Israel couldn’t look at Moses’ face. His face was shining with glory, even though that glory was fading. Won’t the ministry that brings the Spirit have even more glory? If the ministry that brings punishment has glory, then the ministry that brings God’s approval has an overwhelming glory. 10 In fact, the ministry that brings punishment lost its glory because of the superior glory of the other ministry. 11 If that former ministry faded away despite its glory, how much more does that ministry which remains continue to be glorious?

12 Since we have confidence ⌞in the new promise⌟, we speak very boldly. 13 We are not like Moses. He kept covering his face with a veil. He didn’t want the people of Israel to see the glory fading away. 14 However, their minds became closed. In fact, to this day the same veil is still there when they read the Old Testament. It isn’t removed, because only Christ can remove it. 15 Yet, even today, when they read the books of Moses, a veil covers their minds. 16 But whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

17 This Lord is the Spirit. Wherever the Lord’s Spirit is, there is freedom. 18 As all of us reflect the Lord’s glory with faces that are not covered with veils, we are being changed into his image with ever-increasing glory. This comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

Footnotes

  1. 3:6 Or “covenant.”

Ministers of the New Covenant

(A)Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, (B)as some do, (C)letters of recommendation to you, or from you? (D)You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our[a] hearts, to be known and read by all. And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of (E)the living God, not on (F)tablets of stone but on (G)tablets of (H)human hearts.[b]

(I)Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. (J)Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but (K)our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to be (L)ministers of (M)a new covenant, not of (N)the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but (O)the Spirit gives life.

Now if (P)the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory (Q)that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses' face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? For if there was glory in (R)the ministry of condemnation, (S)the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. 10 Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. 11 For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory.

12 Since we have such a hope, (T)we are very bold, 13 not like Moses, (U)who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. 14 But (V)their minds were (W)hardened. For to this day, (X)when they read (Y)the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. 15 Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. 16 But when (Z)one[c] turns to the Lord, (AA)the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord[d] is the Spirit, and where (AB)the Spirit of the Lord is, there is (AC)freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled face, (AD)beholding (AE)the glory of the Lord,[e] (AF)are being transformed into the same image (AG)from one degree of glory to another.[f] For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 3:2 Some manuscripts your
  2. 2 Corinthians 3:3 Greek fleshly hearts
  3. 2 Corinthians 3:16 Greek he
  4. 2 Corinthians 3:17 Or this Lord
  5. 2 Corinthians 3:18 Or reflecting the glory of the Lord
  6. 2 Corinthians 3:18 Greek from glory to glory

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.

Ministros del nuevo pacto

¿Comenzamos otra vez a recomendarnos a nosotros mismos? ¿O tenemos necesidad, como algunos, de cartas de recomendación para vosotros, o de recomendación de vosotros? Nuestras cartas sois vosotros, escritas en nuestros corazones, conocidas y leídas por todos los hombres; siendo manifiesto que sois carta de Cristo expedida por nosotros, escrita no con tinta, sino con el Espíritu del Dios vivo; no en tablas de piedra,(A) sino en tablas de carne del corazón.

Y tal confianza tenemos mediante Cristo para con Dios; no que seamos competentes por nosotros mismos para pensar algo como de nosotros mismos, sino que nuestra competencia proviene de Dios, el cual asimismo nos hizo ministros competentes de un nuevo pacto,(B) no de la letra, sino del espíritu; porque la letra mata, mas el espíritu vivifica.

Y si el ministerio de muerte grabado con letras en piedras fue con gloria, tanto que los hijos de Israel no pudieron fijar la vista en el rostro de Moisés a causa de la gloria de su rostro,(C) la cual había de perecer, ¿cómo no será más bien con gloria el ministerio del espíritu? Porque si el ministerio de condenación fue con gloria, mucho más abundará en gloria el ministerio de justificación. 10 Porque aun lo que fue glorioso, no es glorioso en este respecto, en comparación con la gloria más eminente. 11 Porque si lo que perece tuvo gloria, mucho más glorioso será lo que permanece.

12 Así que, teniendo tal esperanza, usamos de mucha franqueza; 13 y no como Moisés, que ponía un velo sobre su rostro,(D) para que los hijos de Israel no fijaran la vista en el fin de aquello que había de ser abolido. 14 Pero el entendimiento de ellos se embotó; porque hasta el día de hoy, cuando leen el antiguo pacto, les queda el mismo velo no descubierto, el cual por Cristo es quitado. 15 Y aun hasta el día de hoy, cuando se lee a Moisés, el velo está puesto sobre el corazón de ellos. 16 Pero cuando se conviertan al Señor, el velo se quitará. 17 Porque el Señor es el Espíritu; y donde está el Espíritu del Señor, allí hay libertad. 18 Por tanto, nosotros todos, mirando a cara descubierta como en un espejo la gloria del Señor, somos transformados de gloria en gloria en la misma imagen, como por el Espíritu del Señor.

Неужели нам снова знакомиться с вами? Неужели нужны для нас, как для некоторых, одобрительные письма к вам или от вас?

Вы--наше письмо, написанное в сердцах наших, узнаваемое и читаемое всеми человеками;

вы показываете собою, что вы--письмо Христово, через служение наше написанное не чернилами, но Духом Бога живаго, не на скрижалях каменных, но на плотяных скрижалях сердца.

Такую уверенность мы имеем в Боге через Христа,

не потому, чтобы мы сами способны были помыслить что от себя, как бы от себя, но способность наша от Бога.

Он дал нам способность быть служителями Нового Завета, не буквы, но духа, потому что буква убивает, а дух животворит.

Если же служение смертоносным буквам, начертанное на камнях, было так славно, что сыны Израилевы не могли смотреть на лице Моисеево по причине славы лица его преходящей, --

то не гораздо ли более должно быть славно служение духа?

Ибо если служение осуждения славно, то тем паче изобилует славою служение оправдания.

10 То прославленное даже не оказывается славным с сей стороны, по причине преимущественной славы [последующего].

11 Ибо, если преходящее славно, тем более славно пребывающее.

12 Имея такую надежду, мы действуем с великим дерзновением,

13 а не так, как Моисей, [который] полагал покрывало на лице свое, чтобы сыны Израилевы не взирали на конец преходящего.

14 Но умы их ослеплены: ибо то же самое покрывало доныне остается неснятым при чтении Ветхого Завета, потому что оно снимается Христом.

15 Доныне, когда они читают Моисея, покрывало лежит на сердце их;

16 но когда обращаются к Господу, тогда это покрывало снимается.

17 Господь есть Дух; а где Дух Господень, там свобода.

18 Мы же все открытым лицем, как в зеркале, взирая на славу Господню, преображаемся в тот же образ от славы в славу, как от Господня Духа.