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

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

You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men;

3 c learly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart. The Spirit, Not the Letter

being 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.

4 A nd we have such trust through Christ toward God.

Such confidence we have through Christ toward God.

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

Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God,

6 w ho also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. Glory of the New Covenant

who 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.

7 B ut if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away,

But 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,

8 h ow will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious?

how will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory?

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

For if the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness abound in glory.

10 F or even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels.

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

11 F or if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious.

For if that which fades away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory.

12 T herefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech—

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

13 u nlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away.

and 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.

14 B ut their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ.

But 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.

15 B ut even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart.

But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart;

16 N evertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is 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.

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 by the Spirit of the Lord.

But 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.