2 Corinthians 3

1Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? or need we, as do some, epistles of commendation to you or from you?

1Are we starting to praise ourselves again? Or do we need, like some other people, letters of recommendation to you or from you?

2Ye are our epistle, written in our hearts, known and read of all men;

2You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone.

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.

3It is clear that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God—not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

4And such confidence have we through Christ to God-ward:

4We have this kind of confidence toward God because of Christ.

5not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God;

5It is not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our competence comes 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.

6He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the written law, but of the Spirit; for the written law brings death, but the Spirit gives 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:

7Now if the ministry that brought death, which was carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its brightness—a glory that was fading away;

8how shall not rather the ministration of the spirit be with glory?

8how will the ministry of the Spirit not be even more glorious?

9For if the ministration of condemnation hath glory, much rather doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.

9If the ministry that brought condemnation had glory, how much more does the ministry that brings righteousness overflow with glory!

10For verily that which hath been made glorious hath not been made glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasseth.

10In fact, what was once glorious has no glory now in comparison to the glory that surpasses it.

11For if that which passeth away was with glory, much more that which remaineth is in glory.

11For if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts forever!

12Having therefore such a hope, we use great boldness of speech,

12Since we have such a certain hope, we are very bold in our speech.

13andarenot as Moses, whoput a veil upon his face, that the children of Israel should not look stedfastly on the end of that which was passing away:

13We are not like Moses, who put a veil over his face to keep the people of Israel from staring at the end of what was fading away.

14but their minds were hardened: for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remaineth, it not being revealed to them that it is done away in Christ.

14But their minds were closed. For to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only through Christ is it taken away.

15But unto this day, whensoever Moses is read, a veil lieth upon their heart.

15Even to this day, whenever the laws of Moses are read, a veil covers their hearts.

16But whensoever it shall turn to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

16But whenever someone turns 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.

17Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

18But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit.

18And we all, with faces that are not veiled, reflect the glory of the Lord. We are being transformed into his same image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.