1 A re we beginning again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as do 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 revealed that you are a letter of Christ, served by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tablets of stone, but in tablets that are hearts of flesh.

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 sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency 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 sufficient 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 service of death, written engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look steadfastly on the face of Moses for the glory of his face; which was passing away:

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 w on’t service of the Spirit be with much more glory?

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

9 F or if the service of condemnation has glory, the service of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.

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

10 F or most certainly that which has been made glorious has not been made glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasses.

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 passes 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 H aving therefore such a hope, we use great boldness of speech,

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

13 a nd not as Moses, who put a veil on his face, that the children of Israel wouldn’t look steadfastly on the end of that which was passing 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, because in Christ it passes away.

(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, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart.

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

16 B ut whenever one 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 seeing the glory of the Lord as in a mirror, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even 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.