2 Corinthians 3 - New International Version (NIV)

3 Are we beginning to commend ourselves(A) again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation(B) to you or from you? 2 You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone.(C) 3 You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God,(D) not on tablets of stone(E) but on tablets of human hearts.(F)

4 Such confidence(G) we have through Christ before God. 5 Not that we are competent in ourselves(H) to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.(I) 6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant(J)—not of the letter(K) but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.(L)

The Greater Glory of the New Covenant

7 Now if the ministry that brought death,(M) which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory,(N) transitory though it was, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? 9 If the ministry that brought condemnation(O) was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness!(P) 10 For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. 11 And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!

12 Therefore, since we have such a hope,(Q) we are very bold.(R) 13 We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face(S) to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. 14 But their minds were made dull,(T) for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant(U) is read.(V) It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. 15 Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. 16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord,(W) the veil is taken away.(X) 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit,(Y) and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.(Z) 18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate[a](AA) the Lord’s glory,(AB) are being transformed into his image(AC) with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 3:18 Or reflect

Cross references

  1. 2 Corinthians 3:1 : Ro 16:1; 2Co 5:12; 10:12, 18; 12:11
  2. 2 Corinthians 3:1 : Ac 18:27; Ro 16:1; 1Co 16:3
  3. 2 Corinthians 3:2 : 1Co 9:2
  4. 2 Corinthians 3:3 : S Mt 16:16
  5. 2 Corinthians 3:3 : ver 7; Ex 24:12; 31:18; 32:15, 16
  6. 2 Corinthians 3:3 : Pr 3:3; 7:3; Jer 31:33; Eze 36:26
  7. 2 Corinthians 3:4 : S Eph 3:12
  8. 2 Corinthians 3:5 : 2Co 2:16
  9. 2 Corinthians 3:5 : 1Co 15:10
  10. 2 Corinthians 3:6 : S Lk 22:20
  11. 2 Corinthians 3:6 : Ro 2:29; 7:6
  12. 2 Corinthians 3:6 : Jn 6:63
  13. 2 Corinthians 3:7 : ver 9; S Ro 4:15
  14. 2 Corinthians 3:7 : ver 13; Ex 34:29-35; Isa 42:21
  15. 2 Corinthians 3:9 : ver 7; Dt 27:26
  16. 2 Corinthians 3:9 : Ro 1:17; 3:21, 22
  17. 2 Corinthians 3:12 : Ro 5:4, 5; 8:24, 25
  18. 2 Corinthians 3:12 : S Ac 4:29
  19. 2 Corinthians 3:13 : ver 7; Ex 34:33
  20. 2 Corinthians 3:14 : Ro 11:7, 8; 2Co 4:4
  21. 2 Corinthians 3:14 : Ac 13:15; 15:21
  22. 2 Corinthians 3:14 : ver 6
  23. 2 Corinthians 3:16 : Ro 11:23
  24. 2 Corinthians 3:16 : Ex 34:34; Isa 25:7
  25. 2 Corinthians 3:17 : Isa 61:1, 2; Gal 4:6, 7
  26. 2 Corinthians 3:17 : S Jn 8:32
  27. 2 Corinthians 3:18 : 1Co 13:12
  28. 2 Corinthians 3:18 : Jn 17:22, 24; 2Co 4:4, 6
  29. 2 Corinthians 3:18 : S Ro 8:29

You Might Also Like:

2 Corinthians 3 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

3 Do we begin again to recommend ourselves, except we need, as some, letters of recommendation unto you, or from you? 2 our letter ye are, having been written in our hearts, known and read by all men, 3 manifested that ye are a letter of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Sp...
Read More

2 Corinthians 3 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

3 Begin we therefore again to praise us selves? or whether we need, as some men, epistles of praising to you, or of you? [Begin we again to commend, or praise, ourselves? or whether we need, as some, praising letters to you, or of you?] 2 Ye be our epistle, written in our hearts, which is known and ...
Read More

2 Corinthians 3 - Worldwide English (New Testament) (WE)

3 Do you think we are starting again to tell how good we are? Do we need letters to tell about us, as some teachers do? We do not need letters to you or from you to praise us. 2 You yourselves are our letter. This letter has been written in our hearts. All people can read it and understand it. 3 All...
Read More

2 Corinthians 3 - World English Bible (WEB)

3 Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as do some, letters of commendation to you or from you? 2 You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men, 3 being revealed that you are a letter of Christ, served by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of...
Read More

2 Corinthians 3 - The Voice (VOICE)

3 Are we back to page one? Do we need to gather some recommendations to prove our validity to you? Or do we need to take your letter of commendation to others to gain credibility? 2 You are our letter, every word burned onto our[a] hearts to be read by everyone. 3 You are the living letter of the ...
Read More

2 Corinthians 3 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

A New Covenant on Hearts of Flesh3 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you or from you? 2 You are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. 3 It is clear that you are a letter from Messiah delivered by us—written...
Read More

2 Corinthians 3 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Ministers of the New Covenant3 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or from you? 2 You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on your[a] hearts, to be known and read by all men; 3 and you show that you are a letter ...
Read More

2 Corinthians 3 - Revised Geneva Translation (RGT)

3 Do we begin to praise ourselves again? Or do we need, as some others, letters of recommendation to you, or of recommendation from you? 2 You are our letter, written in our hearts, which is understood and read by all mankind; 3 in that you appear to be the letter of Christ, ministered by us, and wr...
Read More

2 Corinthians 3 - New Testament for Everyone (NTE)

The Letter and the Spirit3 So: we’re starting to ‘recommend ourselves’ again, are we? Or perhaps we need – as some do – official references to give to you? Or perhaps even to get from you? 2 You are our official reference! It’s written on our hearts! Everybody can know it and read it! 3 It’s quite...
Read More

2 Corinthians 3 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Ministers of the New Covenant3 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Surely we do not need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you or from you, do we?(A)2 You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by all, 3 and you show that you are a letter of Christ, prepare...
Read More

2 Corinthians 3 - New Matthew Bible (NMB)

Paul praises the preaching of the gospel above the preaching of the law. 3 We begin to praise ourselves again. Do we, like some others, need letters of recommendation to you? or letters of recommendation from you? 2 You are our letter written in our hearts, which is understood and read by all peopl...
Read More

2 Corinthians 3 - New Living Translation (NLT)

3 Are we beginning to praise ourselves again? Are we like others, who need to bring you letters of recommendation, or who ask you to write such letters on their behalf? Surely not! 2 The only letter of recommendation we need is you yourselves. Your lives are a letter written in our[a] hearts; everyo...
Read More

2 Corinthians 3 - New Life Version (NLV)

The Old and the New Way3 Are we making it sound as if we think we are so important? Other people write letters about themselves. Do we need to write such a letter to you? 2 You are our letter. You are written in our hearts. You are known and read by all men. 3 You are as a letter from Christ writt...
Read More

2 Corinthians 3 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Christ’s Epistle(A)3 Do (B)we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as some others, (C)epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you? 2 (D)You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; 3 clearly you are an epistle of Christ, (E)ministered by...
Read More