2 Corinthians 3
Read 2 Corinthians 3 (WEB)+
1Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as do some, letters of commendation to you or from you? 2You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men; 3being 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. 4Such confidence we have through Christ toward God; 5not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God; 6who 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. 7But 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; 8won’t service of the Spirit be with much more glory? 9For if the service of condemnation has glory, the service of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. 10For most certainly that which has been made glorious has not been made glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasses. 11For if that which passes away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory. 12Having therefore such a hope, we use great boldness of speech, 13and 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. 14But 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. 15But to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. 16But whenever one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18But 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.
World English Bible (public domain)
“"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom."”
2 Corinthians 3:17
Summary
In 2 Corinthians chapter 3, Paul defends his ministry and contrasts the Old Covenant, represented by the tablets of stone given to Moses, with the New Covenant, which is established through the Spirit. He explains that his confidence comes from God, not from any letters of recommendation or human credentials. Paul emphasizes that the New Covenant brings life and righteousness through the Spirit, in contrast to the Old Covenant which brought condemnation and death. He elucidates how the ministry of the Spirit is far more glorious than the ministry of the law and how believers, by turning to the Lord, are transformed from one degree of glory to another. A key theme is the veil that remains over the hearts of those who do not believe, which is only removed in Christ.
Key Themes
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