1 D o we begin again to recommend ourselves, except we need, as some, letters of recommendation unto you, or from you?

Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or do we need, as some, commendatory letters to you, or from you?

2 o ur letter ye are, having been written in our hearts, known and read by all men,

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

3 m anifested that ye are a letter of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not in the tablets of stone, but in fleshy tablets of the heart,

being manifested to be Christ's epistle ministered by us, written, not with ink, but Spirit of living God; not on stone tables, but on fleshy tables of heart.

4 a nd such trust we have through the Christ toward God,

And such confidence have we through the Christ towards God:

5 n ot that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything, as of ourselves, but our sufficiency of God,

not that we are competent of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, but our competency of God;

6 w ho also made us sufficient ministrants of a new covenant, not of letter, but of spirit; for the letter doth kill, and the spirit doth make alive.

who has also made us competent, ministers of new covenant; not of letter, but of spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit quickens.

7 a nd if the ministration of the death, in letters, engraved in stones, came in glory, so that the sons of Israel were not able to look stedfastly to the face of Moses, because of the glory of his face -- which was being made useless,

(But if the ministry of death, in letters, graven in stones, began with glory, so that the children of Israel could not fix their eyes on the face of Moses, on account of the glory of his face, which is annulled;

8 h ow shall the ministration of the Spirit not be more in glory?

how shall not rather the ministry of the Spirit subsist in glory?

9 f or if the ministration of the condemnation glory, much more doth the ministration of the righteousness abound in glory;

For if the ministry of condemnation glory, much rather the ministry of righteousness abounds in glory.

10 f or also even that which hath been glorious, hath not been glorious -- in this respect, because of the superior glory;

For also that glorified is not glorified in this respect, on account of the surpassing glory.

11 f or if that which is being made useless through glory, much more that which is remaining in glory.

For if that annulled with glory, much rather that which abides in glory.

12 H aving, then, such hope, we use much freedom of speech,

Having therefore such hope, we use much boldness:

13 a nd not as Moses, who was putting a vail upon his own face, for the sons of Israel not stedfastly to look to the end of that which is being made useless,

and not according as Moses put a veil on his own face, so that the children of Israel should not fix their eyes on the end of that annulled.

14 b ut their minds were hardened, for unto this day the same vail at the reading of the Old Covenant doth remain unwithdrawn -- which in Christ is being made useless --

But their thoughts have been darkened, for unto this day the same veil remains in reading the old covenant, unremoved, which in Christ is annulled.

15 b ut till to-day, when Moses is read, a vail upon their heart doth lie,

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

16 a nd whenever they may turn unto the Lord, the vail is taken away.

But when it shall turn to Lord, the veil is taken away.)

17 A nd the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord, there liberty;

Now the Lord is the Spirit, but where the Spirit of Lord liberty.

18 a nd we all, with unvailed face, the glory of the Lord beholding in a mirror, to the same image are being transformed, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

But we all, looking on the glory of the Lord, with unveiled face, are transformed according to the same image from glory to glory, even as by Lord Spirit.