2 Corinthians 3:7
What does 2 Corinthians 3:7 mean?
A plain-English look at 2 Corinthians 3:7 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What 2 Corinthians 3:7 means
Paul calls the Mosaic administration “the ministration of death,” because the law engraved on stones, though glorious, could only condemn sinners and thus lead to death. Even so, it came with genuine splendor: Moses’ face shone so brightly that Israel could not gaze steadily at it. Yet that brilliance was temporary—its very radiance was “passing away.” The point is not to deny the old covenant’s divinity but to show its designed limits and transience. It revealed God’s holiness and exposed human sin without providing the transforming power. If even a ministry that culminated in death carried glory, it sets the stage for a greater, more enduring glory to come.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000But 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:
KJV
King James Version · 1611But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901But 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:
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949For if the operation of the law, giving death, recorded in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the eyes of the children of Israel had to be turned away from the face of Moses because of its glory, a glory which was only for a time:
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862and if the ministration of the death, in letters, engraved in stones, came in glory, so that the sons of Israel were not able to look stedfastly to the face of Moses, because of the glory of his face--which was being made useless,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Now 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 made void:
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890(But if the ministry of death, in letters, graven in stones, began with glory, so that the children of Israel could not fix their eyes on the face of Moses, on account of the glory of his face, [a glory] which is annulled;
Context
This verse begins the explicit old-versus-new covenant glory comparison. By recalling Moses’ shining face, Paul draws from Exodus to show that the old covenant bore real glory, yet a fading one. Verse 8 will argue from the lesser to the greater: if the old came with glory, much more the ministry of the Spirit. The sequence builds a logical case for the surpassing and permanent character of the new covenant that grounds apostolic boldness.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Nehemiah 9:13
Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right ordinances and true laws, good statutes and commandments,
- Deuteronomy 10:1
At that time Jehovah said unto me, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first, and come up unto me into the mount, and make thee an ark of wood.
- Romans 7:22
For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
- Deuteronomy 4:8
And what great nation is there, that hath statutes and ordinances so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?
- Romans 7:10
and the commandment, which was unto life, this I found to be unto death:
- Psalms 19:7
The law of Jehovah is perfect, restoring the soul: The testimony of Jehovah is sure, making wise the simple.
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