2 Corinthians 3
1 [As I write these things about myself], I am [RHQ] not [doing it] to boast about how good I am, [as some of you say I do]. Some people always carry letters with them that tell how well they work, [that other people] have [written]. But I do not [RHQ] need [to bring] letters like that [when I come to you]. Nor do I need to ask you [to write] letters like that [for me when I go to other congregations].
be first again themself to commend (or *N+kO) not to need as/when one recommended epistle to/with you or out from you (recommended *k)
2 You yourselves are [MET] [like a] letter that recommends my work [for God to everyone]. People see [how Christ changed] your [lives when you believed the message that I taught you]. Everyone [who knows you] can see [the result of my work for God].
the/this/who epistle me you to be to write in in/on/among the/this/who heart me to know and to read by/under: by all a human
3 You are [MET] [like] a letter that Christ himself [has written] that says good things about [my work for God in your lives]. You show [people by the way you now conduct your lives that God has changed your lives] as a result of my work [among you. People did] not [find out about you by] reading [a letter that was written to them on paper] with [pen and] ink. Instead, [they saw how] the Spirit of the all-powerful God [has changed your lives]. Nor [did people find out about you by reading] a letter that was carved on stone slabs [like the stone slabs that God gave to Moses]. Instead, [it was the change that God’s Spirit made in] your lives [MET] [that they saw].
to reveal that/since: that to be epistle Christ to serve by/under: by me to write in no ink but spirit/breath: spirit God to live no in/on/among tablet stone but in/on/among tablet (heart *N+KO) fleshly
4 I [can very] confidently [write these things about the work that Silas, Timothy, and I did among you, because God knows that what I write is true. We(exc) are true workers] for God [because of what] Christ [has done for us].
confidence then such as this to have/be through/because of the/this/who Christ to/with the/this/who God
5 We [(exc)], by ourselves, do not have the ability [to do this work]. None of us [apostles] can say, “[I have changed the lives of these people].” God is the one [who has given us this ability].
no that/since: since away from themself sufficient to be to count one as/when out from (themself *NK+O) but the/this/who sufficiency me out from the/this/who God
6 He is the one who enables us [(exc)] to be his messengers. [He has enabled us to tell people the message] about the new agreement [that he is making with them]. This is not a [message about obeying all the] written laws [of his old agreement that he made with the Jewish people]. Instead, [it is a message about God giving us his] Spirit. [Previously, God condemned people to be] separated from him forever [if they did not obey his laws]. But by [God’s new agreement] his Spirit enables people to live [eternally].
which and to qualify me servant new covenant no something written but spirit/breath: spirit the/this/who for something written to kill the/this/who then spirit/breath: spirit to make alive
7 [Moses] taught [the people that if they did not obey God’s laws completely they would be] separated from God forever. [God] wrote [his laws] on stone [slabs. Then he gave them to Moses to teach them to the people. Although God’s laws condemned the people] to die, [when Moses brought those laws down from Sinai Mountain, God caused Moses’ face to shine] Moses’ face to shine radiantly [to show the people that these laws were God’s laws. It shone]. so brightly that the people of Israel could not keep looking at Moses’ face. [They had to look away]. But the brightness was slowly fading away.
if then the/this/who service the/this/who death in/on/among (something written *NK+o) to engrave (in/on/among *k) stone to be in/on/among glory so not be able to gaze the/this/who son Israel toward the/this/who face Moses through/because of the/this/who glory the/this/who face it/s/he the/this/who to abate
8 [So], [since God showed in such a wonderful way that those laws that condemned the people to die were from him], surely when we [(exc)] teach [people about how God’s] Spirit will [change their lives], [God will show] in an even more wonderful way [that] it is [his message.] [RHQ]
how! not! more the/this/who service the/this/who spirit/breath: spirit to be in/on/among glory
9 The message [that Moses taught them was wonderful, but when people heard] that message, [they realized that they were sinners and that God] would punish them. But God’s message that we [(exc) teach is a] much more wonderful message. We teach people that God will (erase the record of/declare people no longer guilty for) [the sinful things that they have done].
if for (the/this/who *N+kO) service the/this/who condemnation glory much more to exceed the/this/who service the/this/who righteousness (in/on/among *k) glory
10 [The truth is that, although the work of teaching the people to obey God’s laws] was once important, it is not as important now, because [the work of teaching people that God will forgive them and] enable them to live to please him is far more important.
and for (no *N+kO) to glorify the/this/who to glorify in/on/among this/he/she/it the/this/who part because of the/this/who to surpass glory
11 Furthermore, [the message that Moses taught was not a lasting message, just like] the brightness on his face was not lasting and soon faded away. But [when God gives his Spirit to people], the wonderful work that [God’s Spirit does in their lives] is much greater [because] it lasts forever.
if for the/this/who to abate through/because of glory much more the/this/who to stay in/on/among glory
12 We [(exc)] know that the message that we teach is a [much more wonderful message than the message that Moses taught]. So we [can preach] boldly.
to have/be therefore/then such as this hope much boldness to use
13 We do not [need to put a veil over our faces when we teach people], as Moses did. Moses put a veil over his face so that the Israelites would not see that the radiance [on his face] soon faded away. [Similarly, the glory of the old agreement has also faded away].
and no just as Moses to place veil upon/to/against the/this/who face (it/s/he *N+kO) to/with the/this/who not to gaze the/this/who son Israel toward the/this/who goal/tax the/this/who to abate
14 But the Israelis stubbornly refused to [understand that the old agreement would end]. Even now, when they read the old agreement, [they still do not realize that it has ended. It is as if] [MET] that same veil [that Moses put on his face] is now over their [minds, keeping them from understanding God’s true message]. They will [understand that message] only when [they come to trust] in Christ. Then [it will be as though God] has removed the veil.
but to harden the/this/who mind/thought it/s/he until for the/this/who today (day *no) the/this/who it/s/he veil upon/to/against the/this/who reading the/this/who old covenant to stay not to unveil (that/since: since *N+kO) in/on/among Christ to abate
15 [Throughout all these years], even until now, when [the Israelis] read what Moses [write, it is as though] a veil is covering their minds.
but until today when (if *no) (to read *N+kO) Moses veil upon/to/against the/this/who heart it/s/he to lay/be appointed
16 But when any of them believes in the Lord [Jesus], [God] removes that veil from them.
when then (if *N+kO) to turn to/with lord: God to take away the/this/who veil
17 [It is by the power of his] Spirit that the Lord [works in our lives], and the Lord’s Spirit has set us free [from trying to obey all the rules and rituals that God gave Moses].
the/this/who then lord: God the/this/who spirit/breath: spirit to be whither then the/this/who spirit/breath: spirit lord: God (there *k) freedom
18 [It is as though God] has removed the veil from our faces [MET]. We realize how awesome Jesus is. As we realize that, we are continually being changed {[the Holy Spirit is] continually changing us} to become more and more like Jesus, [so that people can see], more and more, how awesome [Jesus is]. It is the Spirit of the Lord who does [this].
me then all to unveil face the/this/who glory lord: God to reflect the/this/who it/s/he image to transform away from glory toward glory just as away from lord: God spirit/breath: spirit
