2 Corinthians 3

1Do we seem to be again attempting to put ourselves in the right? or have we need, as some have, of letters of approval to you or from you?

1Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need (as some do) epistles of commendation to you, or from you?

2You yourselves are our letter, whose writing is in our heart, open for every man's reading and knowledge;

2You are our epistle, written in our hearts, which is known and read by all men:

3For you are clearly a letter of Christ, the fruit of our work, recorded not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in stone, but in hearts of flesh.

3Being manifested, 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 the fleshly tables of the heart.

4And this is the certain faith which we have in God through Christ:

4And such confidence we have, through Christ, towards God.

5Not as if we were able by ourselves to do anything for which we might take the credit; but our power comes from God;

5Not that we are sufficient to think any thing of ourselves, as of ourselves: but our sufficiency is from God.

6Who has made us able to be servants of a new agreement; not of the letter, but of the Spirit: for the letter gives death, but the Spirit gives life.

6Who 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 quickeneth.

7For 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:

7Now 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:

8Will not the operation of the Spirit have a much greater glory?

8How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather in glory?

9For if the operation of the law, producing punishment, had its glory, how much greater will be the operation of the Spirit causing righteousness?

9For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more the ministration of justice aboundeth in glory.

10For the glory of the first no longer seems to be glory, because of the greater glory of that which comes after.

10For even that which was glorious in this part was not glorified by reason of the glory that excelleth.

11For if the order which was for a time had its glory, much more will the eternal order have its glory.

11For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is in glory.

12Having then such a hope, we keep nothing back,

12Having therefore such hope, we use much confidence.

13And are not like Moses, who put a veil on his face, so that the children of Israel might not see clearly to the end of the present order of things:

13And not as Moses put a veil upon his face, that the children of Israel might not steadfastly look on the face of that which is made void.

14But their minds were made hard: for to this very day at the reading of the old agreement the same veil is still unlifted; though it is taken away in Christ.

14But their senses were made dull. For, until this present day, the selfsame veil, in the reading of the old testament, remaineth not taken away (because in Christ it is made void).

15But to this day, at the reading of the law of Moses, a veil is over their heart.

15But even until this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart.

16But when it is turned to the Lord, the veil will be taken away.

16But when they shall be converted to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.

17Now the Lord is the Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there the heart is free.

17Now the Lord is a Spirit. And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

18But we all, with unveiled face giving back as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord who is the Spirit.

18But we all, beholding the glory of the Lord with open face, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord.