2 Corinthians 3

Paul declares that the Corinthians themselves are his letter of commendation, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God on the tables of the heart. He contrasts the ministry of the old covenant — the letter that kills — with the ministry of the new covenant — the Spirit that gives life — and declares that where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

v	King James Version	Modern English
1	Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?	Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as some others do, letters of recommendation to You or from You?
2	Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:	You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by all men,
3	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.	because You show that You are a letter from Christ delivered by us — written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
4	And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:	Such is the confidence we have through Christ toward God.
5	Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;	Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from ourselves — our sufficiency is from God,
6	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.	who has also made us able ministers of the new testament — not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
7	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:	Now if the ministry that brought death, engraved in letters on stones, came with such glory that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance — a glory that was passing away —
8	How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather more glorious?	how much more glorious will the ministry of the Spirit be?
9	For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.	For if the ministry that brought condemnation was glorious, how much more does the ministry that brings righteousness overflow with glory.
10	For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.	Indeed, what once was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory.
11	For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.	For if what was passing away came with glory, much more does what remains come with glory.
12	Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:	Since we have such a hope, we are very bold in our speech.
13	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:	We are not like Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not gaze on the end of what was passing away.
14	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 their minds were blinded, for to this day the same veil remains unlifted at the reading of the old testament — and only in Christ is it taken away.
15	But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.	Even to this day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies upon their hearts.
16	Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.	But whenever the heart turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
17	Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.	Now the Lord is that Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
18	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.	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.