The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Kapitel 3 -

Doe we begin to praise our selues againe? or neede we as some other, epistles of recommendation vnto you, or letters of recommendation from you?

Yee are our epistle, written in our hearts, which is vnderstand, and read of all men,

In that yee are manifest, to be the Epistle of Christ, ministred by vs, and written, not with yncke, but with the Spirite of the liuing God, not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart.

And such trust haue we through Christ to God:

Not that we are sufficient of our selues, to thinke any thing, as of our selues: but our sufficiencie is of God,

Who also hath made vs able ministers of the Newe testament, not of the letter, but of the Spirite: for the letter killeth, but the Spirite giueth life.

The Glory of the New Covenant

(Exodus 34:10–35)

If then the ministration of death written with letters and ingrauen in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel coulde not beholde the face of Moses, for the glorie of his countenance (which glorie is done away.)

Howe shall not the ministration of the Spirite be more glorious?

For if the ministerie of condemnation was glorious, much more doeth the ministration of righteousnesse exceede in glorie.

For euen that which was glorified, was not glorified in this point, that is, as touching the exceeding glorie.

For if that which should be abolished, was glorious, much more shall that which remaineth, be glorious.

Seeing then that we haue such trust, we vse great boldnesse of speach.

And we are not as Moses, which put a vaile vpon his face, that the children of Israel should not looke vnto the ende of that which should be abolished.

Therefore their mindes are hardened: for vntill this day remaineth the same couering vntaken away in the reading of the olde Testament, which vaile in Christ is put away.

But euen vnto this day, whe Moses is read, the vaile is laid ouer their hearts.

Neuertheles when their heart shall be turned to the Lord, the vaile shalbe taken away.

Nowe the Lord is the Spirite, and where the Spirite of the Lord is, there is libertie.

But we al behold as in a mirrour the glory of the Lord with open face, and are changed into the same image, from glorie to glorie, as by the Spirit of the Lord.

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

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

being 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.

Such confidence we have through Christ toward God,

not that we are sufficient of ourselves to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God,

who 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.

The Glory of the New Covenant

(Exodus 34:10–35)

But 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,

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

For if the service of condemnation has glory, the service of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.

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

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

Having therefore such a hope, we use great boldness of speech,

and not as Moses, who put a veil on his face so that the children of Israel wouldn’t look steadfastly on the end of that which was passing away.

But 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.

But to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart.

But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

But 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.