¹² For this is what the Lord says:

¹⁷ “Those who consecrate and purify themselves to go into the gardens,^(T) following one who is among those who eat the flesh of pigs,^(U) rats^(V) and other unclean things—they will meet their end^(W) together with the one they follow,” declares the Lord.

¹⁸ “And I, because of what they have planned and done,^(X) am about to come^[a] and gather the people of all nations^(Y) and languages, and they will come and see my glory.^(Z)

¹⁹ “I will set a sign^(AA) among them, and I will send some of those who survive^(AB) to the nations—to Tarshish,^(AC) to the Libyans^[b] and Lydians^(AD) (famous as archers), to Tubal^(AE) and Greece,^(AF) and to the distant islands^(AG) that have not heard of my fame or seen my glory.^(AH) They will proclaim my glory among the nations. ²⁰ And they will bring^(AI) all your people, from all the nations, to my holy mountain^(AJ) in Jerusalem as an offering to the Lord—on horses, in chariots and wagons, and on mules and camels,”^(AK) says the Lord. “They will bring them, as the Israelites bring their grain offerings, to the temple of the Lord in ceremonially clean vessels.^{(AL) 21} And I will select some of them also to be priests^(AM) and Levites,” says the Lord.

²² “As the new heavens and the new earth^(AN) that I make will endure before me,” declares the Lord, “so will your name and descendants endure.^{(AO) 23} From one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath^(AP) to another, all mankind will come and bow down^(AQ) before me,” says the Lord. ²⁴ “And they will go out and look on the dead bodies^(AR) of those who rebelled^(AS) against me; the worms^(AT) that eat them will not die, the fire that burns them will not be quenched,^(AU) and they will be loathsome to all mankind.”

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.