2 Corinthians 3
3
Servants of God’s New Agreement
1Why are we beginning again to tell you all these good things about ourselves? Do we need letters of introduction to you or from you, like some other people? 2No, you yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts. It is known and read by all people. 3You show that you are a letter from Christ that he sent through us. This letter is not written with ink but with the Spirit of the living God. It is not written on stone#3:3 stone Meaning the law that God gave to Moses, which was written on stone tablets. Also in verse 7. See Ex. 24:12; 25:16. tablets but on human hearts.
4We can say this, because through Christ we feel sure before God. 5I don’t mean that we are able to do anything good ourselves. It is God who makes us able to do all that we do. 6He made us able to be servants of a new agreement from himself to his people. It is not an agreement of written laws, but it is of the Spirit. The written law brings death, but the Spirit gives life.
An Agreement With Greater Glory
7The old agreement#3:7 agreement In verses 7-11 literally, “service” or “ministry.” that brought death, written with words on stone, came with God’s glory. In fact, the face of Moses was so bright with glory (a glory that was ending) that the people of Israel could not continue looking at his face. 8So surely the new agreement that comes from the life-giving Spirit has even more glory. 9This is what I mean: That old agreement judged people guilty of sin, but it had glory. So surely the new agreement that makes people right with God has much greater glory. 10That old agreement had glory. But it really loses its glory when it is compared to the much greater glory of the new agreement. 11If the agreement that was brought to an end came with glory, then the agreement that never ends has much greater glory.
12We are so sure of this hope that we can speak very openly. 13We are not like Moses, who put a covering over his face. He covered his face so that the people of Israel would not see it. The glory was disappearing, and Moses did not want them to see it end. 14But their minds were closed. And even today, when those people read the writings of the old agreement,#3:14 old agreement See “agreement” in the Word List. Here, “old agreement” is used to mean the Law of Moses on which that agreement was based. that same covering hides the meaning. That covering has not been removed for them. It is taken away only through Christ. 15Yes, even today, when they read the Law of Moses, there is a covering over their minds. 16But when someone changes and follows the Lord, that covering is taken away. 17The Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18And our faces are not covered. We all show the Lord’s glory, and we are being changed to be like him. This change in us brings more and more glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
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© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
2 Corinthians 3
3
Living Letters
1Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some, letters of recommendation to you or from you? 2You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, recognized and read by everyone. # 1Co 9:2 3It is clear that you are Christ’s letter, # Phm 13 produced # Lit ministered to by us, not written with ink but with the Spirit of the living God # Dt 5:26 — not on stone tablets # Ex 24:12 but on tablets that are hearts of flesh. # Pr 3:3; 7:3; Jr 17:1; 31:33; Ezk 11:19; 36:26; Heb 8:10
Paul’s Competence
4We have this kind of confidence toward God through Christ. 5It is not that we are competent in # Lit from ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our competence is from God. # 1Co 15:10 6He has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, # Lk 22:20; Heb 7:22 not of the letter, # Rm 7:6 but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit produces life.
New Covenant Ministry
7Now if the ministry of death, chiseled in letters on stones, came with glory, # Ex 34:29-35; Mk 10:37; Lk 9:32; Jn 17:24; 2Co 3:18; 2Pt 3:18 so that the Israelites were not able to look directly at Moses’ face because of the glory from his face — a fading glory — 8how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? 9For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness overflows with even more glory. 10In fact, what had been glorious is not glorious now by comparison because of the glory that surpasses it. 11For if what was fading away # Heb 2:14 was glorious, what endures will be even more glorious.
12Therefore, having such a hope, # 1Th 1:3 we use great boldness. 13We are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face # Ex 34:33 so that the Israelites could not stare at the end of what was fading away, 14but their minds were closed. # Lit their thoughts were hardened # Mk 8:17; Heb 3:13 For to this day, at the reading of the old covenant, # Ac 13:15; 15:21; Heb 7:22 the same veil remains; it is not lifted, because it is set aside only in Christ. # Rm 16:7; 1Pt 5:14 15Even to this day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts, 16but whenever a person turns # 1Pt 2:25 to the Lord, the veil is removed. # Ex 34:34 17Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at # Or are reflecting # 1Co 13:12 the glory of the Lord # Jn 17:24; 2Co 1:20; 4:4-6; 1Tm 1:11,17 and are being transformed # Mk 9:2 into the same image # Gn 1:27; 1Jn 3:2 from glory to glory; # Progressive glorification or sanctification this is from the Lord who is the Spirit. # Or from the Spirit of the Lord, or from the Lord, the Spirit
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© 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved.