3 We do not need any more to show that our work is good. Some people need to have letters from other people to say that they do good work. We do not need to show you letters like that. Nor do we need you to write a letter like that for us. 2 You yourselves show that we have done good work. You are like a letter that is written on our lives. Everybody can read that letter and they can understand it. 3 It is clear that you are a like a letter that Christ himself has written. We are the people who brought God's message to you. Now people see what God has done in your lives. That is like a letter that they read. But it is not a letter written on paper with ink. It is the Spirit of the living God who wrote it. He did not write it on pieces of stone. Instead, he wrote it deep inside you. [ a ]
4 We know that these things are true. Because of what Christ has done, we trust God to help us. 5 We know that we cannot do this work by ourselves. We never think that. But God makes us able to do it. 6 God has made us his servants. So we are able to tell people the message of his new agreement. This new agreement is not about rules. Rules tell people what they must do and they bring death. But God's new agreement comes from his Spirit. And the Spirit brings new life to us, not death. [ b ]
7 Moses wrote the words of the old agreement on pieces of stone. It showed how great and powerful God was. Moses' face shone brightly after God spoke to him. It did not stay bright, but the Israelite people still could not look at Moses' face. The old agreement that brought death was powerful. 8 So the new agreement, which comes from God's Spirit, will show the power of God even more. 9 The old agreement showed people that they were guilty. God's new agreement makes people right with him. So surely the new agreement shows God's power even more than the old one did!
10 The old agreement was great and powerful at one time. But now God's new agreement has come in its place. The great power of the new agreement shows that the old agreement is no longer powerful. 11 The old agreement was powerful, but it came to an end. God's new agreement will continue always. So it surely shows the power of God even more!
12 So, because we know all this, we speak God's message bravely. 13 We are not like Moses. His face did not continue to be bright with the light from God. So he covered his face with a cloth. He did not want the Israelite people to see that the light was coming to an end. 14 But those Israelite people could not think properly. Even today, they still do not understand the message of God's old agreement. When they read it, they are like people who have a cloth that covers their minds. It continues like that unless they believe in Christ. Then Christ removes the cloth so that they understand. 15 Even today, when the Israelite people read Moses' books, a cloth still covers their minds. 16 But when a person turns to trust the Lord, then God takes the cloth away. [ c ]
17 The Lord is the same as the Spirit. And when the Lord's Spirit is with anyone, that person is free. 18 We show the power of the Lord to other people. It is like God has removed a cloth from over our faces. He is changing us so that we become more and more like him. We show how great God is more and more clearly. It is the Lord who does all this, by the work of his Spirit.
3 Why are we beginning again to tell you all these good things about ourselves? Do we need letters of introduction to you or from you, like some other people? 2 No, you yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts. It is known and read by all people. 3 You show that you are a letter from Christ that he sent through us. This letter is not written with ink but with the Spirit of the living God. It is not written on stone [ a ] tablets but on human hearts.
4 We can say this, because through Christ we feel sure before God. 5 I don’t mean that we are able to do anything good ourselves. It is God who makes us able to do all that we do. 6 He made us able to be servants of a new agreement from himself to his people. It is not an agreement of written laws, but it is of the Spirit. The written law brings death, but the Spirit gives life.
7 The old agreement [ b ] that brought death, written with words on stone, came with God’s glory. In fact, the face of Moses was so bright with glory (a glory that was ending) that the people of Israel could not continue looking at his face. 8 So surely the new agreement that comes from the life-giving Spirit has even more glory. 9 This is what I mean: That old agreement judged people guilty of sin, but it had glory. So surely the new agreement that makes people right with God has much greater glory. 10 That old agreement had glory. But it really loses its glory when it is compared to the much greater glory of the new agreement. 11 If the agreement that was brought to an end came with glory, then the agreement that never ends has much greater glory.
12 We are so sure of this hope that we can speak very openly. 13 We are not like Moses, who put a covering over his face. He covered his face so that the people of Israel would not see it. The glory was disappearing, and Moses did not want them to see it end. 14 But their minds were closed. And even today, when those people read the writings of the old agreement, [ c ] that same covering hides the meaning. That covering has not been removed for them. It is taken away only through Christ. 15 Yes, even today, when they read the Law of Moses, there is a covering over their minds. 16 But when someone changes and follows the Lord, that covering is taken away. 17 The Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And our faces are not covered. We all show the Lord’s glory, and we are being changed to be like him. This change in us brings more and more glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
3 Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?
2 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
3 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 in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
4 And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:
5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
6 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.
7 But 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:
8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?
9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.
11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.
12 Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:
13 And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:
14 But 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.
15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
18 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.
3 Are we beginning to ( A ) commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some, ( B ) letters of commendation to you or from you? 2 ( C ) You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all people, 3 revealing yourselves, that you are a letter of Christ, [ a ] ( D ) delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of ( E ) the living God, not on ( F ) tablets of stone but on ( G ) tablets of [ b ] ( H ) human hearts.
4 Such is the ( I ) confidence we have toward God through Christ. 5 Not that we are adequate in ourselves so as to consider anything as having come from ourselves, but ( J ) our adequacy is from God, 6 who also made us adequate as ( K ) servants of a ( L ) new covenant, not of ( M ) the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but ( N ) the Spirit gives life.
7 But if the ( O ) ministry of death, engraved ( P ) in letters on stones, came [ c ] with glory ( Q ) so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory? 9 For if ( R ) the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ( S ) ministry of righteousness excel in glory. 10 For indeed what had glory in this case has no glory, because of the glory that surpasses it . 11 For if that which fades away was [ d ] with glory, much more that which remains is in glory.
12 ( T ) Therefore, having such a hope, ( U ) we use great boldness in our speech, 13 and we are not like Moses, ( V ) who used to put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel would not stare at the end of what was fading away. 14 But their minds were ( W ) hardened; for until this very day at the ( X ) reading of ( Y ) the old covenant the same veil [ e ] remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ. 15 But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts; 16 ( Z ) but whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where ( AA ) the Spirit of the Lord is, ( AB ) there is freedom. 18 But we all, with unveiled faces, ( AC ) looking as in a mirror at the ( AD ) glory of the Lord, are being ( AE ) transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from ( AF ) the Lord, the Spirit.
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 )
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.
