Read the New Testament in 24 Weeks

3 Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or do we need, as some, commendatory letters to you, or [commendatory] from you?

² *Ye* are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read of all men,

³ being manifested to be Christ's epistle ministered by us, written, not with ink, but [the] Spirit of [the] living God; not on stone tables, but on fleshy tables of [the] heart.

⁴ And such confidence have we through the Christ towards God:

⁵ not that we are competent of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, but our competency [is] of God;

⁶ who has also made us competent, [as] ministers of [the] new covenant; not of letter, but of spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit quickens.

⁷ (But if the ministry of death, in letters, graven in stones, began with glory, so that the children of Israel could not fix their eyes on the face of Moses, on account of the glory of his face, [a glory] which is annulled;

⁸ how shall not rather the ministry of the Spirit subsist in glory?

⁹ For if the ministry of condemnation [be] glory, much rather the ministry of righteousness abounds in glory.

¹⁰ For also that [which was] glorified is not glorified in this respect, on account of the surpassing glory.

¹¹ For if that annulled [was introduced] with glory, much rather that which abides [subsists] in glory.

¹² Having therefore such hope, we use much boldness:

¹³ and not according as Moses put a veil on his own face, so that the children of Israel should not fix their eyes on the end of that annulled.

¹⁴ But their thoughts have been darkened, for unto this day the same veil remains in reading the old covenant, unremoved, which in Christ is annulled.

¹⁵ But unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil lies upon their heart.

¹⁶ But when it shall turn to [the] Lord, the veil is taken away.)

¹⁷ Now the Lord is the Spirit, but where the Spirit of [the] Lord [is, there is] liberty.

¹⁸ But *we* all, looking on the glory of the Lord, with unveiled face, are transformed according to the same image from glory to glory, even as by [the] Lord [the] Spirit.

4 Therefore, having this ministry, as we have had mercy shewn us, we faint not.

² But we have rejected the hidden things of shame, not walking in deceit, nor falsifying the word of God, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every conscience of men before God.

³ But if also our gospel is veiled, it is veiled in those that are lost;

⁴ in whom the god of this world has blinded the thoughts of the unbelieving, so that the radiancy of the glad tidings of the glory of the Christ, who is [the] image of God, should not shine forth [for them].

⁵ For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus Lord, and ourselves your bondmen for Jesus' sake.

⁶ Because [it is] the God who spoke that out of darkness light should shine who has shone in our hearts for the shining forth of the knowledge of the glory of God in [the] face of [Jesus] Christ.

⁷ But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassingness of the power may be of God, and not from us:

⁸ every way afflicted, but not straitened; seeing no apparent issue, but our way not entirely shut up;

⁹ persecuted, but not abandoned; cast down, but not destroyed;

¹⁰ always bearing about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our body;

¹¹ for we who live are always delivered unto death on account of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh;

¹² so that death works in us, but life in you.

¹³ And having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, I have believed, therefore have I spoken; *we* also believe, therefore also we speak;

¹⁴ knowing that he who has raised the Lord Jesus shall raise us also with Jesus, and shall present [us] with you.

¹⁵ For all things [are] for your sakes, that the grace abounding through the many may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.

¹⁶ Wherefore we faint not; but if indeed our outward man is consumed, yet the inward is renewed day by day.

¹⁷ For our momentary [and] light affliction works for us in surpassing measure an eternal weight of glory;

¹⁸ while we look not at the things that are seen, but at the things that are not seen; for the things that are seen [are] for a time, but those that are not seen eternal.