You are our letter
Are we starting to talk ourselves up again? Or do we need letters of recommendation to you, or from you, the way some people do? You are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. It is plain that you are a letter from Christ, delivered by us — written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tables of stone but on fleshy tables of the heart. That is the confidence we have toward God through Christ. Not that we are up to anything of ourselves, as though it came from us. Our competence comes from God, who has made us able ministers of the new testament — not of the letter but of the Spirit. Because the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
Do we start again to say good things about ourselves? Or do we need, like some others, letters of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you? You're our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men. Being shown plainly to be the 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 fleshy tablets of the heart. And we've got such trust through Christ towards God. Not that we're able of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves. But our ability is of God. Who's made us able ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the spirit. Because the letter kills, but the spirit gives life.
Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you? Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: 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. And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
Are we starting to talk ourselves up again? Or do we need letters of recommendation to you, or from you, the way some people do?
Do we start again to say good things about ourselves? Or do we need, like some others, letters of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you?
Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?
You are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone.
You're 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:
It is plain that you are a letter from Christ, delivered by us — written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tables of stone but on fleshy tables of the heart.
Being shown plainly to be the 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 fleshy tablets of the heart.
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.
That is the confidence we have toward God through Christ.
And we've got such trust through Christ towards God.
And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:
Not that we are up to anything of ourselves, as though it came from us. Our competence comes from God,
Not that we're able of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves. But our ability is of God.
Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
who has made us able ministers of the new testament — not of the letter but of the Spirit. Because the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
Who's made us able ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the spirit. Because the letter kills, but the spirit gives life.
Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
The greater glory
Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites couldn't look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of it — a glory that was fading — won't the ministry of the Spirit come with far more glory? Because if the ministry that brings condemnation had glory, the ministry that brings righteousness has far more glory again. In fact what was glorious then has no glory now, compared with the glory that surpasses it. Because if what was fading came with glory, how much more glory belongs to what lasts. So having a hope like that, we speak very plainly. Not like Moses, who put a veil over his face so the Israelites couldn't look steadily at the end of what was fading. But their minds were blinded. To this day the same veil stays there when the old testament is read, and it isn't lifted, because it is only in Christ that it is taken away. Even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart. But when it turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is that Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And all of us, with faces uncovered, beholding the glory of the Lord as in a glass, are being changed into the same image, from glory to glory, by the Spirit of the Lord.
But if the serving of death, written and cut in stones, was glorious, so the children of Israel couldn't look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, that was to be done away — how won't the serving of the spirit be rather glorious? Because if the serving of condemning is glory, much more does the serving of righteousness go past it in glory. Because even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that goes past it. Because if what's done away was glorious, much more what stays is glorious. Seeing then that we've got such hope, we use great plainness of speech. And not as Moses, who put a covering over his face so the children of Israel couldn't look steadily to the end of what's done away. But their minds were blinded. Because right to this day the same covering stays unlifted in the reading of the old covenant, which covering is done away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, the covering is on their heart. But when it turns to the Lord, the covering will be taken away. Now the Lord is that Spirit. And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there's liberty. But we all, with an open face looking as in a glass at the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord.
But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious. Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away. Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the LORD.
Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites couldn't look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of it — a glory that was fading —
But if the serving of death, written and cut in stones, was glorious, so the children of Israel couldn't look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, that was to be done away —
But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:
won't the ministry of the Spirit come with far more glory?
how won't the serving of the spirit be rather glorious?
How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?
Because if the ministry that brings condemnation had glory, the ministry that brings righteousness has far more glory again.
Because if the serving of condemning is glory, much more does the serving of righteousness go past it in glory.
For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
In fact what was glorious then has no glory now, compared with the glory that surpasses it.
Because even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that goes past it.
For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.
Because if what was fading came with glory, how much more glory belongs to what lasts.
Because if what's done away was glorious, much more what stays is glorious.
For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.
So having a hope like that, we speak very plainly.
Seeing then that we've got such hope, we use great plainness of speech.
Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:
Not like Moses, who put a veil over his face so the Israelites couldn't look steadily at the end of what was fading.
And not as Moses, who put a covering over his face so the children of Israel couldn't look steadily to the end of what's done away.
And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:
But their minds were blinded. To this day the same veil stays there when the old testament is read, and it isn't lifted, because it is only in Christ that it is taken away.
But their minds were blinded. Because right to this day the same covering stays unlifted in the reading of the old covenant, which covering is done away in Christ.
But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.
Even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart.
But even to this day, when Moses is read, the covering is on their heart.
But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
But when it turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
But when it turns to the Lord, the covering will be taken away.
Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
Now the Lord is that Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
Now the Lord is that Spirit. And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there's liberty.
Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
And all of us, with faces uncovered, beholding the glory of the Lord as in a glass, are being changed into the same image, from glory to glory, by the Spirit of the Lord.
But we all, with an open face looking as in a glass at the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord.
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the LORD.