Ministers of a New Covenant 1 CPDV Must we begin again to commend ourselves? Or are we in need (as some are) of epistles of commendation for you, or from you? BSB BSB: Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you?
2 CPDV You are our Epistle, written in our hearts, which is known and read by all men. BSB BSB: You yourselves are our letter, inscribed on our hearts, known and read by everyone.
3 CPDV It has been made manifest that you are the Epistle of Christ, ministered by us, and written down, not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, and not on tablets of stone, but on the fleshly tablets of the heart. BSB BSB: It is clear that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
4 CPDV And we have such faith, through Christ, toward God. BSB BSB: Such confidence before God is ours through Christ.
5 CPDV It is not that we are adequate to think anything of ourselves, as if anything was from us. But our adequacy is from God. BSB BSB: Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim that anything comes from us, but our competence comes from God.
6 CPDV And he has made us suitable ministers of the New Testament, not in the letter, but in the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. BSB BSB: And He has qualified us as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
The Glory of the New Covenant (Exodus 34:10–35)
7 CPDV But if the ministration of death, engraved with letters upon stones, was in glory, (so much so that the sons of Israel were not able to gaze intently upon the face of Moses, because of the glory of his countenance) even though this ministration was ineffective, BSB BSB: Now if the ministry of death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at the face of Moses because of its fleeting glory,
8 CPDV how could the ministration of the Spirit not be in greater glory? BSB BSB: will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious?
9 CPDV For if the ministration of condemnation is with glory, so much more is the ministration of justice abundant in glory. BSB BSB: For if the ministry of condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry of righteousness!
10 CPDV And neither was it glorified by means of an excellent glory, though it was made illustrious in its own way. BSB BSB: Indeed, what was once glorious has no glory now in comparison to the glory that surpasses it.
11 CPDV For if even what was temporary has its glory, then what is lasting has an even greater glory. BSB BSB: For if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which endures!
12 CPDV Therefore, having such a hope, we act with much confidence, BSB BSB: Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold.
13 CPDV and not as Moses did, in placing a veil over his face, so that the sons of Israel would not gaze intently at his face. This was ineffective, BSB BSB: We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at the end of what was fading away.
14 CPDV for their minds were obtuse. And, even until this present day, the very same veil, in the readings from the Old Testament, remains not taken away (though, in Christ, it is taken away). BSB BSB: But their minds were closed. For to this day the same veil remains at the reading of the old covenant. It has not been lifted, because only in Christ can it be removed.
15 CPDV But even until today, when Moses is read, a veil is still set over their hearts. BSB BSB: And even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts.
16 CPDV But when they will have been converted to the Lord, then the veil shall be taken away. BSB BSB: But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
17 CPDV Now the Spirit is Lord. And wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. BSB BSB: Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
18 CPDV Yet truly, all of us, as we gaze upon the unveiled glory of the face of the Lord, are transfigured into the same image, from one glory to another. And this is done by the Spirit of the Lord. BSB BSB: And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into His image with intensifying glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.