2 Corinthians 3

1 Are we beginning [beginning anew, starting over] to commend [praise, recommend] ourselves [our own merits, abilities] again? Or do we need [require, have a necessity for], like some people [certain individuals, others], letters [epistles, written recommendations] of recommendation [commendation, approval] to you [as a testimony, for your sake] or from you [as a reference, on your behalf]? word study 2 You yourselves [our dear brothers and sisters] are our letter [epistle, a written message], inscribed [written in our experience with you] on our hearts [the seat of thoughts, feelings, and emotions], known [understand, recognize] and read [perceived, understood] by everyone [all men, every person]. word study 3 It is clear [manifestly declared, revealed] that you are a letter [epistle, written message] from Christ [the Anointed One, Messiah], the result of our ministry [service, attendance to spiritual needs], written not with ink [physical writing material] but with the Spirit [breath, vital principle] of the living God [the one true deity, Creator], not on tablets of stone [physical, unchanging] but on tablets of human [fleshly, spiritual] hearts [the seat of thoughts, feelings, and emotions]. word study 4 Such [great, unwavering] confidence [faith, trust] before [toward, in the presence of] God [the one true deity] is ours [we have] through [because of] Christ [the Anointed] [our Lord and Savior]. word study 5 Not that we are [sufficient of ourselves] competent in ourselves to claim [think, account] that anything comes from us, but our [ability, capacity] competence comes from [out of, originating with] God [the one true deity]. word study 6 And He has qualified [made able, enabled] us as ministers [servants, messengers] of a new [fresh, renewed] covenant [agreement, promise], not of the letter [written law, scripture] but of the Spirit [breath, divine nature]; for the letter [written word] kills [brings death, condemnation], but the Spirit [vital principle, life-giving power] gives life [makes alive, quickens]. word study 7 Now if the ministry [service, work of helping others] of death [physical or spiritual separation], which was engraved [to carve or print onto a surface] in letters [something written, a character or letter] on stone [a literal rock or a figurative one], came with such glory [honor, praise, admiration] that the Israelites [the descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people] could not gaze [to look intently, with focused attention] at the face [countenance, presence or appearance] of Moses [the Hebrew lawgiver] because of its fleeting [temporary, transitory] glory [which was to be done away, made useless], word study 8 will not [how can it not be] the ministry [service, work of helping others] of the Spirit [the vital principle or mental disposition] be even [rather] more glorious [filled with glory, honor, or praise]? word study 9 For if the ministry [service, work of helping others] of condemnation [judgment, sentencing] was glorious [full of honor, praise], how much [to a greater degree] more glorious [exceeding in glory] is the ministry [work of righteousness, helping others in God’s will] of righteousness [living according to God’s will, being in right standing with God]! word study 10 Indeed, what was once [previously, in times past] glorious [full of praise and honor, renowned] has no [absolutely none, not any] glory [honor, praise, admiration] now in comparison [by reason of, because of] to the glory [excelling, surpassing] that surpasses [excels, is greater than] it. word study 11 For if what was [being abolished] fading away came with [great, divine] glory, how much [far, exceedingly] greater is the glory [honor, praise] of that which [remains, stays] endures! word study 12 Therefore [then, as a consequence], since we have [possess, hold] such a hope [expectation, trust in God’s goodness], we are [use, employ] very bold [with great plainness of speech, much confidence, freedom in speaking]. word study 13 We are not like Moses [the Hebrew lawgiver], who would put a veil [a covering to hide] over his face [his presence] to keep the Israelites [the descendants of Jacob] from gazing [to look intently] at the end [the goal] of what was fading away [being made useless]. word study 14 But their minds [were hardened, made stubborn] were closed. For to this day [until now, at this present time] the same veil [a covering, hiding the truth] remains at the reading [public proclamation, study] of the old [outdated, former] covenant. It has not been lifted [removed, taken away], because only in Christ [the Anointed One, Messiah] can it be removed [taken away, abolished]. word study 15 And even to this day [throughout all these years, until now] when Moses [the Hebrew lawgiver] is read [the law of Moses is being read, scriptures are being understood], a veil [a cover, a spiritual barrier] covers [lies upon, is laid over] their hearts [the seat of thoughts, feelings, and emotions, their inner being]. word study 16 But whenever [at the moment, when it shall turn] anyone turns [is converted, reverts] to the Lord [God, the supreme Master], the veil [a covering, a barrier] is taken away [removed, lifted]. word study 17 Now the Lord [the supreme God, Master] is the Spirit [the vital principle], and where the Spirit [the divine breath] of the Lord [the sovereign God] is, there [in that place] is freedom [liberty from bondage]. word study 18 And we, who with unveiled [open, revealed] faces all reflect [behold as in a mirror, see and contemplate] the glory [honor, praise, divine splendor] of the Lord [God, the supreme Master], are being transformed [changed, renewed, made new] into His image [likeness, representation, divine nature] with intensifying [increasing, growing] glory [honor, praise], which comes from the Lord [God, the supreme Giver], who is the Spirit [the divine Breath, the vital Principle]. word study