1 A re we beginning again to commend ourselves? or need we, as do some, epistles of commendation to you or from you?

E timata ana ano ranei matou te whakapai ki a matou ano? e pera ana ranei me etahi atu, e mea ana matou ki etahi pukapuka whakapai ma matou ki a koutou, ma koutou ranei ki a matou?

2 Y e are our epistle, written in our hearts, known and read of all men;

Ko koutou ta matou pukapuka, he mea tuhituhi ki o matou ngakau, e kitea ana, e korerotia ana e nga tangata katoa:

3 b eing made manifest that ye are an 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 tables that are hearts of flesh.

Kua marama na hoki, ko koutou he pukapuka na te Karaiti, he mea minita na matou, ehara i te mea tuhituhi ki te mangumangu, engari ki te Wairua o te Atua ora; he teka ki nga papa kohatu, engari ki runga ki nga papa kikokiko o te ngakau.

4 A nd such confidence have we through Christ to God-ward:

Ko tenei tu whakaaro o matou u tonu ki ta te Atua, he mea na te Karaiti:

5 n ot that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God;

He teka kei a matou ake te tikanga mo te whakaaro ki tetahi aha, me te mea na matou ake ano; engari na te Atua matou i whai tikanga ai;

6 w ho also made us sufficient as ministers of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

Nana hoki matou i tau ai hei minita mo te kawenata hou; he teka no te reta, engari no te wairua: he whakamate hoki ta te reta, he whakaora ia ta te wairua.

7 B ut if the ministration of death, written, and engraven on stones, came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look stedfastly upon the face of Moses for the glory of his face; which glory was passing away:

Na, mehemea te minitatanga o te mate i tuhituhia nei, i whaoa nei ki nga kohatu, i puta kororia mai, i kore ai e taea e nga tama a Iharaira te titiro matatau atu ki te mata o Mohi i te kororia o tona mata; he kororia ia e memeha ana:

8 h ow shall not rather the ministration of the spirit be with glory?

E kore ianei e nui noa atu te kororia o te minitatanga o te wairua?

9 F or if the ministration of condemnation hath glory, much rather doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.

Na, mehemea te minitatanga o te whakatau he he kororia, heoi hira rawa atu te kororia o te minitatanga o te tika.

10 F or verily that which hath been made glorious hath not been made glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasseth.

He pono hoki, kahore te mea i whakakororiatia i whai kororia i tenei wahi, ara na te kororia e hira rawa nei.

11 F or if that which passeth away was with glory, much more that which remaineth is in glory.

Mehemea hoki he kororia to te mea e memeha ana, nui noa atu te kororia o te mea pumau.

12 H aving therefore such a hope, we use great boldness of speech,

Na, i a matou ka tumanako nei ki tenei, nui atu to matou maia ki te korero:

13 a nd are not as Moses, who put a veil upon his face, that the children of Israel should not look stedfastly on the end of that which was passing away:

Kahore ano e pera me Mohi i maka nei i te hipoki ki tona mata, kei titiro matatau atu nga tama a Iharaira ki te tukunga iho o te mea e memeha haere ana:

14 b ut their minds were hardened: for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remaineth, it not being revealed to them that it is done away in Christ.

Otira i whakapakeketia o ratou hinengaro: no te mea taea noatia mai tenei ra i te korerotanga o te kawenata tawhito e mau tonu ana taua hipoki ra ano, kahore ano i hurahia; i roto ia i a te Karaiti ka whakakahoretia.

15 B ut unto this day, whensoever Moses is read, a veil lieth upon their heart.

Na, tae noa mai ki tenei ra, ki te korerotia a Mohi, e takoto ana he hipoki ki runga i to ratou ngakau.

16 B ut whensoever it shall turn to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

Na, kia huri ki te Ariki, ka tangohia te hipoki.

17 N ow the Lord is the Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

Na, ko te Ariki, ko te Wairua ia; ko te wahi i noho ai te Wairua o te Ariki, kei reira te tikanga herekore.

18 B ut we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit.

Ko tatou katoa ia kahore he hipoki mo te mata, e whakaahua ana i te kororia o te Atua, ano kei roto i te whakaata, a e whakaputaia ketia ana kia rite ki taua ahua ano, he kororia hono iho ki te kororia, i runga i ta te Wairua o te Ariki.