1ARE WE starting to commend ourselves again? Or we do not, like some [false teachers], need written credentials {or} letters of recommendation to you or from you, [do we]?
2[No] you yourselves are our letter of recommendation (our credentials), written in your hearts, to be known (perceived, recognized) and read by everybody.
3You show {and} make obvious that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, not written with ink but with [the] Spirit of [the] living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
4Such is the reliance {and} confidence that we have through Christ toward {and} with reference to God.
5Not that we are fit (qualified and sufficient in ability) of ourselves to form personal judgments {or} to claim {or} count anything as coming from us, but our power {and} ability {and} sufficiency are from God.
6[It is He] Who has qualified us [making us to be fit and worthy and sufficient] as ministers {and} dispensers of a new covenant [of salvation through Christ], not [ministers] of the letter (of legally written code) but of the Spirit; for the code [of the Law] kills, but the [Holy] Spirit makes alive.
7Now if the dispensation of death engraved in letters on stone [the ministration of the Law], was inaugurated with such glory {and} splendor that the Israelites were not able to look steadily at the face of Moses because of its brilliance, [a glory] that was to fade {and} pass away,
8Why should not the dispensation of the Spirit [this spiritual ministry whose task it is to cause men to obtain and be governed by the Holy Spirit] be attended with much greater {and} more splendid glory?
9For if the service that condemns [the ministration of doom] had glory, how infinitely more abounding in splendor {and} glory must be the service that makes righteous [the ministry that produces and fosters righteous living and right standing with God]!
10Indeed, in view of this fact, what once had splendor [the glory of the Law in the face of Moses] has come to have no splendor at all, because of the overwhelming glory that exceeds {and} excels it [the glory of the Gospel in the face of Jesus Christ].
11For if that which was but passing {and} fading away came with splendor, how much more must that which remains {and} is permanent abide in glory {and} splendor!
12Since we have such [glorious] hope (such joyful and confident expectation), we speak very freely {and} openly {and} fearlessly.
13Nor [do we act] like Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze upon the finish of the vanishing [splendor which had been upon it].
14In fact, their minds were grown hard {and} calloused [they had become dull and had lost the power of understanding]; for until this present day, when the Old Testament (the old covenant) is being read, that same veil still lies [on their hearts], not being lifted [to reveal] that in Christ it is made void {and} done away.
15Yes, down to this [very] day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies upon their minds {and} hearts.
16But whenever a person turns [in repentance] to the Lord, the veil is stripped off {and} taken away.
17Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (emancipation from bondage, freedom).
18And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His {very own} image in ever increasing splendor {and} from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit.
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