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

Do we begin again to recommend ourselves, except we need, as some, letters of recommendation unto you, or from you?

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

our letter ye are, having been written in our hearts, known and read by all men,

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.

manifested that ye are a letter of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not in the tablets of stone, but in fleshy tablets of the heart,

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

and such trust we have through the Christ toward God,

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

not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything, as of ourselves, but our sufficiency of God,

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.

who also made us sufficient ministrants of a new covenant, not of letter, but of spirit; for the letter doth kill, and the spirit doth make alive.

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:

and if the ministration of the death, in letters, engraved in stones, came in glory, so that the sons of Israel were not able to look stedfastly to the face of Moses, because of the glory of his face -- which was being made useless,

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

how shall the ministration of the Spirit not be more in glory?

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

for if the ministration of the condemnation glory, much more doth the ministration of the righteousness abound in glory;

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.

for also even that which hath been glorious, hath not been glorious -- in this respect, because of the superior glory;

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

for if that which is being made useless through glory, much more that which is remaining in glory.

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

Having, then, such hope, we use much freedom of speech,

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:

and not as Moses, who was putting a vail upon his own face, for the sons of Israel not stedfastly to look to the end of that which is being made useless,

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.

but their minds were hardened, for unto this day the same vail at the reading of the Old Covenant doth remain unwithdrawn -- which in Christ is being made useless --

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

but till to-day, when Moses is read, a vail upon their heart doth lie,

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

and whenever they may turn unto the Lord, the vail is taken away.

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

And the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord, there liberty;

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.

and we all, with unvailed face, the glory of the Lord beholding in a mirror, to the same image are being transformed, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.