1 ¶ Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or do we need, as some others, epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you?

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

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

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

3 F orasmuch 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.

You 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.

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

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

5 N ot that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God,

Not 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.

6 ¶ who also has made us able ministers of the new testament, not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Who 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.

7 B ut if the ministry of death in the letter engraved in stones was glorious, so that the sons of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance which glory was to fade away,

Now 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,

8 H ow shall not the ministry of the Spirit be for greater glory?

Why 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?

9 F or if the ministry of condemnation had glory, much more shall the ministry of righteousness abound in glory.

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

10 F or even that which was so glorious had no glory in this respect, in comparison with the glory that excels.

Indeed, 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].

11 F or if that which fades away was glorious, much more shall that which remains be glorious.

For 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!

12 ¶ Seeing then that we have such hope, we speak with great confidence,

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

13 A nd not as Moses, who put a veil over his face, that the sons of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that glory which was to fade away:

Nor like Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze upon the finish of the vanishing.

14 ( And thus their senses became hardened, for until this day remains the same veil not uncovered in the reading of the old testament, which veil is taken away in Christ.

In 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.

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

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

16 N evertheless when they convert to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.)

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

17 F or the Lord is the Spirit, and where that Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

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

18 T herefore we all, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord with uncovered face, are transformed from glory to glory into the same likeness, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

And 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.