2 Corinthians 3
3
The Ministry That Comes from Christ Is Greater Than Moses’ Ministry
1Do we have to show you our qualifications again? Do we, like some people, need letters that recommend us to you or letters from you that recommend us to others? 2You’re our letter of recommendation written in our hearts that everyone knows and reads. 3It’s clear that you are Christ’s letter, written as a result of our ministry. You are a letter written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, a letter written not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
4Christ gives us confidence about you in God’s presence. 5By ourselves we are not qualified in any way to claim that we can do anything. Rather, God makes us qualified. 6He has also qualified us to be ministers of a new promise,#3:6 Or “covenant.” a spiritual promise, not a written one. Clearly, what was written brings death, but the Spirit brings life.
7The ministry that brought death was inscribed on stone. Yet, it came with such glory that the people of Israel couldn’t look at Moses’ face. His face was shining with glory, even though that glory was fading. 8Won’t the ministry that brings the Spirit have even more glory? 9If the ministry that brings punishment has glory, then the ministry that brings God’s approval has an overwhelming glory. 10In fact, the ministry that brings punishment lost its glory because of the superior glory of the other ministry. 11If that former ministry faded away despite its glory, how much more does that ministry which remains continue to be glorious?
12Since we have confidence ⌞in the new promise⌟, we speak very boldly. 13We are not like Moses. He kept covering his face with a veil. He didn’t want the people of Israel to see the glory fading away. 14However, their minds became closed. In fact, to this day the same veil is still there when they read the Old Testament. It isn’t removed, because only Christ can remove it. 15Yet, even today, when they read the books of Moses, a veil covers their minds. 16But whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
17This Lord is the Spirit. Wherever the Lord’s Spirit is, there is freedom. 18As all of us reflect the Lord’s glory with faces that are not covered with veils, we are being changed into his image with ever-increasing glory. This comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
2 Corinthians 3
3
1Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? or need we, as do some, epistles of commendation to you or from you? 2Ye are our epistle, written in our hearts, known and read of all men; 3being made manifest that ye are an 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 tables that are hearts of flesh. 4And such confidence have we through Christ to God-ward: 5not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God;
6who also made us sufficient as ministers of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. 7But if the ministration of death, written, and engraven on stones, came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look stedfastly upon the face of Moses for the glory of his face; which glory was passing away: 8how shall not rather the ministration of the spirit be with glory? 9For if the ministration of condemnation is glory, much rather doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. 10For verily that which hath been made glorious hath not been made glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasseth. 11For if that which passeth away was with glory, much more that which remaineth is in glory.
12Having therefore such a hope, we use great boldness of speech, 13and are not as Moses, who put a veil upon his face, that the children of Israel should not look stedfastly on the end of that which was passing away: 14but their minds were hardened: for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remaineth unlifted; which veil is done away in Christ. 15But unto this day, whensoever Moses is read, a veil lieth upon their heart. 16But whensoever it shall turn to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17Now the Lord is the Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18But we all, with unveiled face reflecting as a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit.
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