Ministers of a New Covenant

1Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or† like some, do we need letters of recommendation to you⁺ or from you⁺?† 2You⁺ are our letter, having been inscribed in our hearts, being known and being read by all men, 3being revealed that you⁺ are a letter of Christ, having been ministered to by us, having been inscribed not in ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not in tablets of stone but in tablets of fleshly hearts.

4Now we have such confidence through Christ toward God. 5Not that we are sufficient from ourselves to reckon anything as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God, 6who also made us sufficient as ministers 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)

7Now if the ministry of death, having been engraved in letters on stones, came into being in glory so as for the sons of Israel not to be able to look intently into the face of Moses on account of the glory of his face that is fading away, 8how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more in glory? 9For if in the ministry of condemnation was glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness abound in glory! 10For even that having been glorious has no glory in this respect, on account of the glory surpassing it. 11For if that which is fading away was through glory, much more is that remaining in glory!

12Therefore having such a hope, we use much boldness, 13and not as Moses would put a veil over his face for the sons of Israel not to look intently into the end of what was fading away.

14But their minds were hardened; for until the present day, the same veil remains upon the reading of the old covenant, not being unveiled, which is removed in Christ. 15But until today when Moses is read, a veil lies upon their heart. 16But whenever one may turn to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

17Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, freedom is. 18And we all, having been unveiled in face, reflecting the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit.

Footnotes:

1 BYZ and Stephanus TR do not include Or
1 BYZ and TR letters of commendation to you or of commendation from you