3 Are we beginning to commend ourselves^(A) again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation^(B) to you or from you? ² You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone.^{(C) 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,^(D) not on tablets of stone^(E) but on tablets of human hearts.^(F)

⁴ Such confidence^(G) we have through Christ before God. ⁵ Not that we are competent in ourselves^(H) to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.^{(I) 6} 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

⁷ 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, ⁸ will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? ⁹ 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.

Present Weakness and Resurrection Life

4 Therefore, since through God’s mercy^(AD) we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.^{(AE) 2} Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways;^(AF) we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God.^(AG) On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience^(AH) in the sight of God. ³ And even if our gospel^(AI) is veiled,^(AJ) it is veiled to those who are perishing.^{(AK) 4} The god^(AL) of this age^(AM) has blinded^(AN) the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ,^(AO) who is the image of God.^{(AP) 5} For what we preach is not ourselves,^(AQ) but Jesus Christ as Lord,^(AR) and ourselves as your servants^(AS) for Jesus’ sake. ⁶ For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”^[b](AT) made his light shine in our hearts^(AU) to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.^(AV)

⁷ But we have this treasure in jars of clay^(AW) to show that this all-surpassing power is from God^(AX) and not from us. ⁸ We are hard pressed on every side,^(AY) but not crushed; perplexed,^(AZ) but not in despair; ⁹ persecuted,^(BA) but not abandoned;^(BB) struck down, but not destroyed.^{(BC) 10} We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus,^(BD) so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.^{(BE) 11} For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake,^(BF) so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. ¹² So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.^(BG)

¹³ It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.”^[c](BH) Since we have that same spirit of^[d] faith,^(BI) we also believe and therefore speak, ¹⁴ because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead^(BJ) will also raise us with Jesus^(BK) and present us with you to himself.^{(BL) 15} All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving^(BM) to overflow to the glory of God.

¹⁶ Therefore we do not lose heart.^(BN) Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly^(BO) we are being renewed^(BP) day by day. ¹⁷ For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.^{(BQ) 18} So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen,^(BR) since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Awaiting the New Body

5 For we know that if the earthly^(BS) tent^(BT) we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. ² Meanwhile we groan,^(BU) longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling,^{(BV) 3} because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. ⁴ For while we are in this tent, we groan^(BW) and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling,^(BX) so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. ⁵ Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.^(BY)

⁶ Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. ⁷ For we live by faith, not by sight.^{(BZ) 8} We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.^{(CA) 9} So we make it our goal to please him,^(CB) whether we are at home in the body or away from it. ¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us^(CC) for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

The Ministry of Reconciliation

¹¹ Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord,^(CD) we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience.^{(CE) 12} We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again,^(CF) but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us,^(CG) so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. ¹³ If we are “out of our mind,”^(CH) as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. ¹⁴ For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.^{(CI) 15} And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves^(CJ) but for him who died for them^(CK) and was raised again.

¹⁶ So from now on we regard no one from a worldly^(CL) point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. ¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ,^(CM) the new creation^(CN) has come:^[e] The old has gone, the new is here!^{(CO) 18} All this is from God,^(CP) who reconciled us to himself through Christ^(CQ) and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: ¹⁹ that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them.^(CR) And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. ²⁰ We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors,^(CS) as though God were making his appeal through us.^(CT) We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.^{(CU) 21} God made him who had no sin^(CV) to be sin^[f] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.^(CW)