1 A re we starting to commend ourselves again? Or we do not, like some, need written credentials or letters of recommendation to you or from you, ?

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 y ou yourselves are our letter of recommendation (our credentials), written in your hearts, to be known (perceived, recognized) and read by everybody.

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

3 Y ou show and make obvious that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, not written with ink but with Spirit of living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

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 S uch is the reliance and confidence that we have through Christ toward and with reference to God.

And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:

5 N ot that we are fit (qualified and sufficient in ability) of ourselves to form personal judgments or to claim or count anything as coming from us, but our power and ability and sufficiency are from God.

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

6 W ho has qualified us as ministers and dispensers of a new covenant, not of the letter (of legally written code) but of the Spirit; for the code kills, but the Spirit makes alive.

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 N ow if the dispensation of death engraved in letters on stone, was inaugurated with such glory and splendor that the Israelites were not able to look steadily at the face of Moses because of its brilliance, that was to fade and pass away,

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 W hy should not the dispensation of the Spirit '> ministry whose task it is to cause men to obtain and be governed by the Holy Spirit] be attended with much greater and more splendid glory?

How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?

9 F or if the service that condemns had glory, how infinitely more abounding in splendor and glory must be the service that makes righteous!

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

10 I ndeed, in view of this fact, what once had splendor '> the glory of the Law in the face of Moses] has come to have no splendor at all, because of the overwhelming glory that exceeds and excels it '> the glory of the Gospel in the face of Jesus Christ].

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

11 F or if that which was but passing and fading away came with splendor, how much more must that which remains and is permanent abide in glory and splendor!

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

12 S ince we have such hope (such joyful and confident expectation), we speak very freely and openly and fearlessly.

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

13 N or like Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze upon the finish of the vanishing.

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 I n fact, their minds were grown hard and calloused; for until this present day, when the Old Testament (the old covenant) is being read, that same veil still lies, not being lifted that in Christ it is made void and done away.

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 Y es, down to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies upon their minds and hearts.

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

16 B ut whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is stripped off and taken away.

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

17 N ow the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (emancipation from bondage, freedom).

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

18 A nd all of us, as with unveiled face, continued to behold as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; from the Lord the Spirit.

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.