II Corinthians 3

¹Are we beginning again to recommend ourselves? Or do we need, like some others, letters of recommendation to you, or letters of recommendation from you?

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

³since ye are manifestly shown to be a letter of Christ by means of our service, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not on tablets of stone, but on fleshly tablets of the heart.

⁴And such confidence as this have we through Christ toward God;

⁵not that we are able of ourselves to think anything, as from ourselves; but our ability is from God;

⁶who also gave us ability to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life.

⁷But if the ministration of death, engraven in letters on stones, was so glorious, that the children of Israel could not look steadfastly on the face of Moses by reason of the glory of his countenance, which glory was to be done away,

⁸shall not the ministration of the Spirit be much more glorious?

⁹For if the ministration of condemnation had glory, much greater is the glory of the ministration of righteousness.

¹⁰For even that which was made glorious hath ceased to be glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory by which it is exceeded.

¹¹For if that which was to be done away was glorious, much more glorious is that which endureth.

¹²Having therefore such hope, we use great plainness of speech;

¹³and do not as Moses did, who put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel might not steadfastly look on the end of that which was to be done away.

¹⁴But their understandings were blinded; for until this day, when the old covenant is read, the same veil remaineth, since it is not unveiled to them that it is done away in Christ;

¹⁵but even till this day, when Moses is read, there lieth a veil upon their heart;

¹⁶but whenever it turneth to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

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

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

II Corinthians 3

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

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 trust have we through Christ to God-ward:

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

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.

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 the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.