Προς Κορινθιους Β΄ 3
1 αρχομεθα παλιν εαυτους συνιστανειν ει μη χρηζομεν ως τινες συστατικων επιστολων προς υμας η εξ υμων συστατικων
Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or are we like some who need letters of commendation to you, or from you?
2 η επιστολη ημων υμεις εστε εγγεγραμμενη εν ταις καρδιαις ημων γινωσκομενη και αναγινωσκομενη υπο παντων ανθρωπων
You yourselves are our letter – a letter written on our hearts, and one which everybody can read and understand.
3 φανερουμενοι οτι εστε επιστολη χριστου διακονηθεισα υφ ημων εγγεγραμμενη ου μελανι αλλα πνευματι θεου ζωντος ουκ εν πλαξιν λιθιναις αλλ εν πλαξιν καρδιας σαρκιναις
All can see that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, a letter written, not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of human hearts.
4 πεποιθησιν δε τοιαυτην εχομεν δια του χριστου προς τον θεον
This, then, is the confidence in regard to God that we have gained through the Christ.
5 ουχ οτι ικανοι εσμεν αφ εαυτων λογισασθαι τι ως εξ εαυτων αλλ η ικανοτης ημων εκ του θεου
I do not mean that we are fit to form any judgment by ourselves, as if on our own authority;
6 ος και ικανωσεν ημας διακονους καινης διαθηκης ου γραμματος αλλα πνευματος το γαρ γραμμα αποκτεινει το δε πνευμα ζωοποιει
our fitness comes from God, who himself made us fit to be assistants of a new covenant, of which the substance is, not a written Law, but a Spirit. For the written Law means death, but the Spirit gives life.
7 ει δε η διακονια του θανατου εν γραμμασιν εντετυπωμενη εν λιθοις εγενηθη εν δοξη ωστε μη δυνασθαι ατενισαι τους υιους ισραηλ εις το προσωπον μωσεως δια την δοξαν του προσωπου αυτου την καταργουμενην
If the system of religion which involved death, embodied in a written Law and engraved on stones, began amid such glory, that the Israelites were unable to gaze at the face of Moses because of its glory, though it was but a passing glory,
8 πως ουχι μαλλον η διακονια του πνευματος εσται εν δοξη
will not the religion that confers the Spirit have still greater glory?
9 ει γαρ η διακονια της κατακρισεως δοξα πολλω μαλλον περισσευει η διακονια της δικαιοσυνης εν δοξη
For, if there was a glory in the religion that involved condemnation, far greater is the glory of the religion that confers righteousness!
10 και γαρ ουδε δεδοξασται το δεδοξασμενον εν τουτω τω μερει ενεκεν της υπερβαλλουσης δοξης
Indeed, that which then had glory has lost its glory, because of the glory which surpasses it.
11 ει γαρ το καταργουμενον δια δοξης πολλω μαλλον το μενον εν δοξη
And, if that which was to pass away was attended with glory, far more will that which is to endure be surrounded with glory!
12 εχοντες ουν τοιαυτην ελπιδα πολλη παρρησια χρωμεθα
With such a hope as this, we speak with all plainness;
13 και ου καθαπερ μωσης ετιθει καλυμμα επι το προσωπον εαυτου προς το μη ατενισαι τους υιους ισραηλ εις το τελος του καταργουμενου
unlike Moses, who covered his face with a veil, to prevent the Israelites from gazing at the disappearance of what was passing away.
14 αλλ επωρωθη τα νοηματα αυτων αχρι γαρ της σημερον το αυτο καλυμμα επι τη αναγνωσει της παλαιας διαθηκης μενει μη ανακαλυπτομενον ο τι εν χριστω καταργειται
But their minds were slow to learn. Indeed, to this very day, at the public reading of the old covenant, the same veil remains; only for those who are in union with Christ does it pass away.
15 αλλ εως σημερον ηνικα αναγινωσκεται μωσης καλυμμα επι την καρδιαν αυτων κειται
But, even to this day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies on their hearts.
16 ηνικα δ αν επιστρεψη προς κυριον περιαιρειται το καλυμμα
Yet, whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.
17 ο δε κυριος το πνευμα εστιν ου δε το πνευμα κυριου εκει ελευθερια
And the Lord is the Spirit, and, where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
18 ημεις δε παντες ανακεκαλυμμενω προσωπω την δοξαν κυριου κατοπτριζομενοι την αυτην εικονα μεταμορφουμεθα απο δοξης εις δοξαν καθαπερ απο κυριου πνευματος
And all of us, with faces from which the veil is lifted, seeing, as if reflected in a mirror, the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into his likeness, from glory to glory, as it is given by the Lord, the Spirit.
