1 D o we begin again to commend ourselves? or do we need, as some, commendatory letters to you, or from you?

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

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

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

3 b eing manifested to be Christ's epistle ministered by us, written, not with ink, but Spirit of living God; not on stone tables, but on fleshy tables of heart.

being 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.

4 A nd such confidence have we through the Christ towards God:

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

5 n ot that we are competent of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, but our competency of God;

not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God;

6 w ho has also made us competent, ministers of new covenant; not of letter, but of spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit quickens.

who 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.

7 ( But if the ministry of death, in letters, graven in stones, began with glory, so that the children of Israel could not fix their eyes on the face of Moses, on account of the glory of his face, which is annulled;

But 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:

8 h ow shall not rather the ministry of the Spirit subsist in glory?

how shall not rather the ministration of the spirit be with glory?

9 F or if the ministry of condemnation glory, much rather the ministry of righteousness abounds in glory.

For if the ministration of condemnation hath glory, much rather doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.

10 F or also that glorified is not glorified in this respect, on account of the surpassing glory.

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

11 F or if that annulled with glory, much rather that which abides in glory.

For if that which passeth away was with glory, much more that which remaineth is in glory.

12 H aving therefore such hope, we use much boldness:

Having therefore such a hope, we use great boldness of speech,

13 a nd not according as Moses put a veil on his own face, so that the children of Israel should not fix their eyes on the end of that annulled.

and 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:

14 B ut their thoughts have been darkened, for unto this day the same veil remains in reading the old covenant, unremoved, which in Christ is annulled.

but 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.

15 B ut unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil lies upon their heart.

But unto this day, whensoever Moses is read, a veil lieth upon their heart.

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

But whensoever it shall turn to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

17 N ow the Lord is the Spirit, but where the Spirit of Lord liberty.

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

18 B ut we all, looking on the glory of the Lord, with unveiled face, are transformed according to the same image from glory to glory, even as by Lord Spirit.

But 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.