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

¶ 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?

2 Y ou are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men;

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

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.

Forasmuch 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.

4 S uch confidence we have through Christ toward God.

And such trust we have through the Christ towards 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 sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of 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 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.

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,

But 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,

8 h ow will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory?

How shall not the ministry of the Spirit be for greater glory?

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

For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, much more shall the ministry of righteousness abound in glory.

10 F or indeed what had glory, in this case has no glory because of the glory that surpasses it.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

And 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:

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.

(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.

15 B ut to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart;

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

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

Nevertheless when they convert to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.)

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

For the Lord is the Spirit, and where that Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

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.

Therefore 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.