2 Corinthians 3
3
1Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? 2You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. 3You 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, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
4Such confidence we have through Christ before God. 5Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. 6He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
The Greater Glory of the New Covenant
7Now if the ministry that brought death, 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, transitory though it was, 8will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? 9If the ministry that brought condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! 10For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. 11And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!
12Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. 13We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. 14But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. 15Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. 16But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate#3:18 Or reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
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The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®
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2 Corinthians 3
3
Ministers of the New Covenant
1#Ac 18:27; 2Co 5:12Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as some others, letters of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you? 2You are our letter written in our hearts, known and read by all men. 3#Ex 24:12; Jer 31:33For you are prominently declared to be the letter of Christ, prepared by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on human tablets of the heart.
4#Eph 3:12We have such trust through Christ toward God, 5#1Co 15:10not that we are sufficient in ourselves to take credit for anything of ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, 6#Lk 22:20; Jn 6:63who has made us able ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
7#Ex 24:12; 31:18If the ministry that brought death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, the glory which was to fade away, 8how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? 9#Heb 12:18–21; Ro 3:21–22For if the ministry of condemnation is glorious, the ministry of righteousness much more exceeds it in glory. 10Even that which was made glorious had no glory in comparison to the glory that excels. 11For if that which fades was glorious, that which remains is much more glorious.
12#2Co 7:4; Ac 4:13Seeing then that we have such hope, we speak with great boldness, 13#Ex 34:33–35; 2Co 3:7not as Moses, who put a veil over his face, so that the children of Israel could not look intently at the end of what was fading away. 14#Ac 13:15; Ro 11:25Instead, their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the old covenant, the veil which was done away with in Christ. 15But even to this day, when Moses is read, the veil is in their hearts. 16#Ex 34:34; Isa 25:7Nevertheless when anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17#Gal 4:6; Jn 8:32Now the Lord is the Spirit. And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18#Ro 8:29; 1Co 13:12; 2Co 4:4But we all, seeing the glory of the Lord with unveiled faces, as in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord.
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