2nd Corinthians 3

 

1 Shall we begin again to commend ourselves (to you)? Or do we need, like some others, (to provide) letters of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?

2 You are our letter (of endorsement) written in our hearts, known and read by all men:

3 Seeing as you have been revealed openly to be the letter of Christ ministered by us, not written with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; and not on (external) tables of stone, but (inside the) fleshy tables of the heart.

4 And this (ministry of the Spirit) is the confidence we have through Christ toward God (for one to be transformed into His image):

5 (Which confidence is) not (found in thinking) that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything of ourselves (and our ability); but our sufficiency is from (the Spirit of the living) God;

6 Who also has made us (sufficient and) able ministers of the New Testament (a new and living way); not by (obeying external commands of) the letter (of the scriptures), but by the spirit (of the letter): for (the carnal mind working) the letter (is the thing that) kills (us), but the spirit (of the same letter) gives life (because to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded life and peace).

7 Now if the ministration of death (which testified of the work which God would do to provide Himself the lamb to remove our death) was written (with letters) and engraved on stones (with the finger of God) was (proven to be) glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look intently on the face of Moses because of the light (of the glory of God) that shined on his face; Which (ministry and glory) was to be done away with (being fulfilled in Christ);

8 How shall the ministration of the Spirit (which is able to raise us up unto His life even unto immortality in our bodies) not be even more glorious?

9 Because if this ministration (that was revealed from heaven testifying that the imputation) of (death and) condemnation (was never from God) had glory, much more so does the ministration of righteousness (which serves us with the power of His endless life) exceed in glory.

10 For even that (ministry) which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of (the ministration of the Spirit) surpassing it in glory.

11 For if that (ministry) which is done away (and fulfilled in Christ) was glorious, how much more that which remains (forever) is glorious.

12 Seeing therefore that we (through the ministry of the Spirit) have such hope, we use great (boldness and) plainness of speech:

13 And not as Moses, who put a veil over his face, so that the children of Israel could not intently look to the end (not seeing the fulfillment) of that which is abolished (in Christ destroying the body of death):

14 But their (carnal) minds were blinded (by death): for until this day remains the same veil unremoved in the reading of the Old Testament, which veil is removed in (seeing) Christ (body being broken to conquer our death).

15 But even to this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart (otherwise the light of the glorious gospel of Christ would shine unto them).

16 Nevertheless, when their (hearts and) minds are turned (away from their own works) unto the Lord (beholding the work that He has done to remove their death), the veil will be taken away (and their stony heart removed).

17 Now (the testimony of) the Lord is the Spirit (of all the scriptures): and where the Spirit of the Lord is (written on the fleshly tablets of our hearts), there is liberty (from death and its sting).

18 But (where) we all with an unveiled face beholding (the reflection) as in a mirror the glory of the Lord (Jesus), are changed into the same image (by seeing the Father's face shining upon us in the face of Jesus Christ), from (the former) glory to (the latter) glory, (all) as by the Spirit of the LORD.