1 A re we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some, letters of commendation to you or 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 ou are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by 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 b eing manifested that you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

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 S uch confidence we have through Christ toward God.

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

5 N ot that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from 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 w ho also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, 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 letters engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was,

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 will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with 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 has glory, much more does 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 indeed what had glory, in this case has no glory because of the glory that surpasses it.

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 with glory, much more that which remains is in glory.

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 T herefore having such a hope, we use great boldness in our speech,

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

13 a nd are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel would not look intently at the end of what was fading 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 B ut their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed 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 to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart;

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

16 b ut whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

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

17 N ow the Lord is the Spirit, and where the 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 B ut we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

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.