1 ¿ Comenzamos otra vez a recomendarnos a nosotros mismos? ¿O tenemos necesidad, como algunos, de cartas de recomendación para vosotros, o de parte de vosotros?

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 V osotros sois nuestra carta, escrita en nuestros corazones, conocida y leída por todos los hombres;

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

3 s iendo manifiesto que sois carta de Cristo expedida por nosotros, escrita no con tinta, sino con el Espíritu del Dios vivo; no en tablas de piedra, sino en tablas de carne del corazón.

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 Y tal confianza tenemos mediante Cristo para con Dios;

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

5 n o que seamos competentes por nosotros mismos para pensar algo como de nosotros mismos, sino que nuestra competencia proviene de Dios,

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 e l cual asimismo nos capacitó como ministros de un nuevo pacto, no de la letra, sino del espíritu; porque la letra mata, pero el espíritu vivifica.

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 Y si el ministerio de muerte grabado con letras en piedras fue con gloria, tanto que los hijos de Israel no pudieron fijar la vista en el rostro de Moisés a causa de la gloria de su rostro, la cual había de perecer,

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 ¿ cómo no será más bien con gloria el ministerio del espíritu?

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 P orque si el ministerio de condenación fue con gloria, mucho más abundará en gloria el ministerio de justificación.

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

10 P orque aun lo que fue glorioso, no es glorioso en este respecto, en comparación con la gloria más eminente.

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 P orque si lo que es pasajero tuvo gloria, mucho más glorioso será lo que permanece.

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 A sí que, teniendo tal esperanza, usamos de mucha franqueza;

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

13 y no como Moisés, que ponía un velo sobre su propio rostro, para que los hijos de Israel no fijaran la vista en el fin de aquello que era pasajero.

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

14 P ero sus pensamientos se embotaron; porque hasta el día de hoy, cuando leen el antiguo pacto, les queda el mismo velo no descubierto, el cual desaparece en Cristo.

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 P ero hasta el día de hoy, cuando se lee a Moisés, el velo está puesto sobre el corazón de ellos.

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

16 M as siempre que alguno se convierte al Señor, el velo se quita.

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

17 A hora bien, el Señor es el Espíritu; y donde está el Espíritu del Señor, allí hay libertad.

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

18 Y todos nosotros, mirando a cara descubierta como en un espejo la gloria del Señor, vamos siendo transformados de gloria en gloria a la misma imagen, como por la acción del Señor, del Espíritu.

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.