2 Corinthians 3
Jubilee Bible 2000
3 ¶ Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or do we need, as some others, epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you?
2 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
3 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.
4 And such trust we have through the Christ towards God:
5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God,
6 ¶ who also has made us able ministers of the new testament, not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
7 But if the ministry of death in the letter engraved in stones was glorious, so that the sons of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance which glory was to fade away,
8 How shall not the ministry of the Spirit be for greater glory?
9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, much more shall the ministry of righteousness abound in glory.
10 For even that which was so glorious had no glory in this respect, in comparison with the glory that excels.
11 For if that which fades away was glorious, much more shall that which remains be glorious.
12 ¶ Seeing then that we have such hope, we speak with great confidence,
13 And not as Moses, who put a veil over his face, that the sons of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that glory which was to fade away:
14 (And thus their senses became hardened, for until this day remains the same veil not uncovered in the reading of the old testament, which veil is taken away in Christ.
15 But even unto this day when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart.
16 Nevertheless when they convert to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.)
17 For the Lord is the Spirit, and where that Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
18 Therefore we all, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord with uncovered face, are transformed from glory to glory into the same likeness, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
2 Corinthians 3
English Standard Version
Ministers of the New Covenant
3 (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? 2 (D)You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our[a] hearts, to be known and read by all. 3 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]
4 (I)Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. 5 (J)Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but (K)our sufficiency is from God, 6 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.
7 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, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? 9 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
- 2 Corinthians 3:2 Some manuscripts your
- 2 Corinthians 3:3 Greek fleshly hearts
- 2 Corinthians 3:16 Greek he
- 2 Corinthians 3:17 Or this Lord
- 2 Corinthians 3:18 Or reflecting the glory of the Lord
- 2 Corinthians 3:18 Greek from glory to glory
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The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
