2 Corinthians 3

1Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or do we need, as some, commendatory letters to you, or [commendatory] from you?

1Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?

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

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

3being manifested to be Christ's epistle ministered by us, written, not with ink, but [the] Spirit of [the] livingGod; not on stone tables, but on fleshy tables of [the] heart.

3Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the 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 fleshy tables of the heart.

4And such confidence have we through the Christ towardsGod:

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

5not that we are competent of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, but our competency [is] ofGod;

5Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;

6who has also made us competent, [as] ministers of [the] new covenant; not of letter, but of spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit quickens.

6Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

7(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;

7But 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:

8how shall not rather the ministry of the Spirit subsist in glory?

8How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?

9For if the ministry of condemnation [be] glory, much rather the ministry of righteousness abounds in glory.

9For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.

10For also that [which was] glorified is not glorified in this respect, on account of the surpassing glory.

10For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.

11For if that annulled [was introduced] with glory, much rather that which abides [subsists] in glory.

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

12Having therefore such hope, we use much boldness:

12Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:

13and not according as Moses put a veil on his own face, so that the children of Israel should not fix their eyes on the end of that annulled.

13And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:

14But their thoughts have been darkened, for unto this day the same veil remains in reading the old covenant, unremoved, which in Christ is annulled.

14But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.

15But unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil lies upon their heart.

15But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.

16But when it shall turn to [the] Lord, the veil is taken away.)

16Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.

17Now the Lord is the Spirit, but where the Spirit of [the] Lord [is, there is] liberty.

17Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

18But we all, looking on the glory of the Lord, with unveiled face, are transformed according to the same image from glory to glory, even as by [the] Lord [the] Spirit.

18But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.