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

αρχομεθα παλιν εαυτους συνιστανειν η μη χρηζομεν ως τινες συστατικων επιστολων προς υμας η εξ υμων συστατικων

η επιστολη ημων υμεις εστε εγγεγραμμενη εν ταις καρδιαις ημων γινωσκομενη και αναγινωσκομενη υπο παντων ανθρωπων

φανερουμενοι οτι εστε επιστολη χριστου διακονηθεισα υφ ημων εγγεγραμμενη ου μελανι αλλα πνευματι θεου ζωντος ουκ εν πλαξιν λιθιναις αλλ εν πλαξιν καρδιας σαρκιναις

πεποιθησιν δε τοιαυτην εχομεν δια του χριστου προς τον θεον

ουχ οτι ικανοι εσμεν αφ εαυτων λογισασθαι τι ως εξ εαυτων αλλ η ικανοτης ημων εκ του θεου

ος και ικανωσεν ημας διακονους καινης διαθηκης ου γραμματος αλλα πνευματος το γαρ γραμμα αποκτεινει το δε πνευμα ζωοποιει

ει δε η διακονια του θανατου εν γραμμασιν εντετυπωμενη εν λιθοις εγενηθη εν δοξη ωστε μη δυνασθαι ατενισαι τους υιους ισραηλ εις το προσωπον μωσεως δια την δοξαν του προσωπου αυτου την καταργουμενην

πως ουχι μαλλον η διακονια του πνευματος εσται εν δοξη

ει γαρ η διακονια της κατακρισεως δοξα πολλω μαλλον περισσευει η διακονια της δικαιοσυνης εν δοξη

10 και γαρ ουδε δεδοξασται το δεδοξασμενον εν τουτω τω μερει ενεκεν της υπερβαλλουσης δοξης

11 ει γαρ το καταργουμενον δια δοξης πολλω μαλλον το μενον εν δοξη

12 εχοντες ουν τοιαυτην ελπιδα πολλη παρρησια χρωμεθα

13 και ου καθαπερ μωσης ετιθει καλυμμα επι το προσωπον εαυτου προς το μη ατενισαι τους υιους ισραηλ εις το τελος του καταργουμενου

14 αλλ επωρωθη τα νοηματα αυτων αχρι γαρ της σημερον το αυτο καλυμμα επι τη αναγνωσει της παλαιας διαθηκης μενει μη ανακαλυπτομενον ο τι εν χριστω καταργειται

15 αλλ εως σημερον ηνικα αναγινωσκεται μωσης καλυμμα επι την καρδιαν αυτων κειται

16 ηνικα δ αν επιστρεψη προς κυριον περιαιρειται το καλυμμα

17 ο δε κυριος το πνευμα εστιν ου δε το πνευμα κυριου εκει ελευθερια

18 ημεις δε παντες ανακεκαλυμμενω προσωπω την δοξαν κυριου κατοπτριζομενοι την αυτην εικονα μεταμορφουμεθα απο δοξης εις δοξαν καθαπερ απο κυριου πνευματος

Ministers of a New Covenant

Are we beginning to (A)commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some, (B)letters of commendation to you or from you? (C)You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all people, revealing yourselves, that you are a letter of Christ, [a](D)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 [b](H)human hearts.

Such is the (I)confidence we have toward God through Christ. Not that we are adequate in ourselves so as to consider anything as having come from ourselves, but (J)our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate as (K)servants of a (L)new covenant, not of (M)the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but (N)the Spirit gives life.

But if the (O)ministry of death, engraved (P)in letters on stones, came [c]with glory (Q)so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was, how will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory? For if (R)the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the (S)ministry of righteousness excel in glory. 10 For indeed what had glory in this case has no glory, because of the glory that surpasses it. 11 For if that which fades away was [d]with glory, much more that which remains is in glory.

12 (T)Therefore, having such a hope, (U)we use great boldness in our speech, 13 and we are not like Moses, (V)who used to put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel would not stare at the end of what was fading away. 14 But their minds were (W)hardened; for until this very day at the (X)reading of (Y)the old covenant the same veil [e]remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ. 15 But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts; 16 (Z)but whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where (AA)the Spirit of the Lord is, (AB)there is freedom. 18 But we all, with unveiled faces, (AC)looking as in a mirror at the (AD)glory of the Lord, are being (AE)transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from (AF)the Lord, the Spirit.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 3:3 Lit served
  2. 2 Corinthians 3:3 Lit hearts of flesh
  3. 2 Corinthians 3:7 Or in glory
  4. 2 Corinthians 3:11 Lit through
  5. 2 Corinthians 3:14 Or remains, it not being revealed that it is done away in Christ