Ministers of a New Covenant 1 WBS Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others , epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation 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 WBS Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men: BSB BSB: You yourselves are our letter, inscribed on our hearts, known and read by everyone.
3 WBS Forasmuch 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 on tables of stone, but on fleshly tables 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 WBS And such trust we have through Christ toward God. BSB BSB: Such confidence before God is ours through Christ.
5 WBS Not that we are sufficient by ourselves to think any thing as from ourselves; but our sufficiency 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 WBS Who 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. 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 WBS But if the ministration of death, written and engraven on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away; 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 WBS How shall not the ministration of the Spirit be rather glorious? BSB BSB: will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious?
9 WBS For if the ministration of condemnation was glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. BSB BSB: For if the ministry of condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry of righteousness!
10 WBS For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. BSB BSB: Indeed, what was once glorious has no glory now in comparison to the glory that surpasses it.
11 WBS For if that which was done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious. BSB BSB: For if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which endures!
12 WBS Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: BSB BSB: Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold.
13 WBS And not as Moses, who put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: 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 WBS But their minds were blinded: for until this day the same vail remaineth untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. 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 WBS But even to this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. BSB BSB: And even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts.
16 WBS Nevertheless, when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away. BSB BSB: But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
17 WBS Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where 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 WBS But 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. 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.