2 Corinthians
Chapter 3
He needs no commendatory letters. The glory of the ministry of the New Testament.
- 1
Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need (as some do) epistles of commendation to you, or from you?
- 2
You are our epistle, written in our hearts, which is known and read by all men:
- 3
You being made manifest, that you are the epistle of Christ, ministered by us, and written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God: not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart.
- 4
And such confidence we have, through Christ, towards God:
- 5
Not that we are sufficient to think any thing of ourselves, as of ourselves: but our sufficiency is from God:
- 6
Who also hath made us fit ministers of the new testament: not in the letter, but in the Spirit: for the letter killeth: but the Spirit giveth life.
- 7
Now if the ministration of death, engraven with letters upon stones, was glorious; so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses, for the glory of his countenance, which is done away:
- 8
How shall not the ministration of the Spirit be rather in glory?
- 9
For if the ministration of condemnation be glory: much more the ministration of justice aboundeth in glory?
- 10
For even that which was glorious in this part was not glorified, by reason of the glory that excelleth.
- 11
For if that which is done away, was glorious: much more that which remaineth is in glory.
- 12
Having, therefore, such hope, we use much confidence:
- 13
And not as Moses put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel might not steadfastly look on the face of that which is made void,
- 14
But their senses were made dull. For, until this present day, the self-same veil, in the reading of the old testament, remaineth not taken away, (because in Christ it is done away.)
- 15
But even until this day when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart.
- 16
But when they shall be converted to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.
- 17
Now the Lord is a Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
- 18
But we all, beholding the glory of the Lord with face uncovered, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord.