2 Corinthians 3
1 Doe we begin to praise our selues againe? or neede we as some other, epistles of recommendation vnto you, or letters of recommendation from you?
Do you say that this is self-recommendation once more? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you or from you?
2 Yee are our epistle, written in our hearts, which is vnderstand, and read of all men,
Our letter of recommendation is yourselves--a letter written on our hearts and everywhere known and read.
3 In that yee are manifest, to be the Epistle of Christ, ministred by vs, and written, not with yncke, but with the Spirite of the liuing God, not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart.
For all can see that you are a letter of Christ entrusted to our care, and written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the ever-living God--and not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts as tablets.
4 And such trust haue we through Christ to God:
Such is the confidence which we have through Christ in the presence of God;
5 Not that we are sufficient of our selues, to thinke any thing, as of our selues: but our sufficiencie is of God,
not that of ourselves we are competent to decide anything by our own reasonings, but our competency comes from God.
6 Who also hath made vs able ministers of the Newe testament, not of the letter, but of the Spirite: for the letter killeth, but the Spirite giueth life.
It is He also who has made us competent to serve Him in connexion with a new Covenant, which is not a written code but a Spirit; for the written code inflicts death, but the Spirit gives Life.
7 If then the ministration of death written with letters and ingrauen in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel coulde not beholde the face of Moses, for the glorie of his countenance (which glorie is done away.)
If, however, the service that proclaims death--its code being engraved in writing upon stones--came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily on the face of Moses because of the brightness of his face--a vanishing brightness;
8 Howe shall not the ministration of the Spirite be more glorious?
will not the service of the Spirit be far more glorious?
9 For if the ministerie of condemnation was glorious, much more doeth the ministration of righteousnesse exceede in glorie.
For if the service which pronounces doom had glory, far more glorious still is the service which tells of righteousness.
10 For euen that which was glorified, was not glorified in this point, that is, as touching the exceeding glorie.
For, in fact, that which was once resplendent in glory has no glory at all in this respect, that it pales before the glory which surpasses it.
11 For if that which should be abolished, was glorious, much more shall that which remaineth, be glorious.
For if that which was to be abolished came with glory, much more is that which is permanent arrayed in glory.
12 Seeing then that we haue such trust, we vse great boldnesse of speach.
Therefore, cherishing a hope like this, we speak without reserve, and we do not imitate Moses,
13 And we are not as Moses, which put a vaile vpon his face, that the children of Israel should not looke vnto the ende of that which should be abolished.
who used to throw a veil over his face to hide from the gaze of the children of Israel the passing away of what was but transitory.
14 Therefore their mindes are hardened: for vntill this day remaineth the same couering vntaken away in the reading of the olde Testament, which vaile in Christ is put away.
Nay, their minds were made dull; for to this very day during the reading of the book of the ancient Covenant, the same veil remains unlifted, because it is only in Christ that it is to be abolished.
15 But euen vnto this day, whe Moses is read, the vaile is laid ouer their hearts.
Yes, to this day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies upon their hearts.
16 Neuertheles when their heart shall be turned to the Lord, the vaile shalbe taken away.
But whenever the heart of the nation shall have returned to the Lord, the veil will be withdrawn.
17 Nowe the Lord is the Spirite, and where the Spirite of the Lord is, there is libertie.
Now by "the Lord" is meant the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, freedom is enjoyed.
18 But we al behold as in a mirrour the glory of the Lord with open face, and are changed into the same image, from glorie to glorie, as by the Spirit of the Lord.
And all of us, with unveiled faces, reflecting like bright mirrors the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same likeness, from one degree of radiant holiness to another, even as derived from the Lord the Spirit.
