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?

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 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.

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 trust we have through the Christ towards God:

and such trust we have through the Christ toward 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 sufficient of ourselves to think anything, as of ourselves, but our sufficiency of 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 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 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,

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 the ministry of the Spirit be for greater glory?

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

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

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

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

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 fades away was glorious, much more shall that which remains be glorious.

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

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

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

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:

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 ( 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 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.