Dual Panel1Are we beginning <756> to commend <4921> ourselves <1438> again <3825>? We <5535> don’t <3361> need <5535> letters <1992> of recommendation <4956> to <4314> you <5209> or <2228> from <1537> you <5216> as <5613> some <5100> other people do, do we?
2You <1510> yourselves <5210> are <1510> our <2257> letter <1992>, written <1449> on <1722> our <2257> hearts <2588>, known <1097> and <2532> read <314> by <5259> everyone <3956> <444>,
3revealing <5319> that <3754> you are <1510> a letter <1992> of Christ <5547>, delivered <1247> by <5259> us <2257>, written <1449> not <3756> with ink <3188> but <235> by the Spirit <4151> of the living <2198> God <2316>, not <3756> on <1722> stone <3035> tablets <4109> but <235> on <1722> tablets <4109> of human <4560> hearts <2588>.
4Now <1161> we have <2192> such <5108> confidence <4006> in <4314> God <2316> through <1223> Christ <5547>.
5Not <3756> that <3754> we are <1510> adequate <2425> in <575> ourselves <1438> to consider <3049> anything <5100> as <5613> if it were coming from <1537> ourselves <1438>, but <235> our <2257> adequacy <2426> is from <1537> God <2316>,
6who <3739> made <2427> us <2248> adequate <2427> to be servants <1249> of a new <2537> covenant <1242> not <3756> based on the letter <1121> but <235> on the Spirit <4151>, for <1063> the letter <1121> kills <615>, but <1161> the Spirit <4151> gives life <2227>.
7But <1161> if <1487> the ministry <1248> that produced death <2288>– carved <1795> in <1722> letters <1121> on stone tablets <3037>– came <1096> with <1722> glory <1391>, so <5620> that the Israelites <5207> <2474> could <1410> not <3361> keep <816> their eyes fixed <816> on <1519> the face <4383> of Moses <3475> because <1223> of the glory <1391> of his <846> face <4383> (a glory which was made ineffective <2673>),
8how <4459> much more <3123> glorious <1391> will <1510> the ministry <1248> of the Spirit <4151> be <1510>?
9For <1063> if <1487> there was glory <1391> in the ministry <1248> that produced condemnation <2633>, how much <4183> more <3123> does the ministry <1248> that produces righteousness <1343> excel <4052> in glory <1391>!
10For <1063> indeed, what had been glorious <1392> now has no <3756> glory <1392> because of the tremendously <5235> greater glory <1391> of what replaced it.
11For <1063> if <1487> what was made ineffective came <2673> with <1223> glory <1391>, how much <4183> more <3123> has what remains <3306> come in <1722> glory <1391>!
12Therefore <3767>, since <2192> we have <2192> such <5108> a hope <1680>, we behave <5530> with great <4183> boldness <3954>,
13and <2532> not <3756> like <2509> Moses <3475> who used to put <5087> a veil <2571> over <1909> his <846> face <4383> to <4314> keep <3361> the Israelites <5207> <2474> from staring <816> at <1519> the result <5056> of the glory that was made ineffective <2673>.
14But <235> their <846> minds <3540> were closed <4456>. For <1063> to <891> this very day <4594> <2250>, the same <846> veil <2571> <3306> remains when they hear the old <3820> covenant <1242> read <320>. It has <343> not <3361> been removed <343> because <3754> only in <1722> Christ <5547> is it taken away <2673>.
15But <235> until <2193> this very day <4594> whenever <2259> <302> Moses <3475> is read <314>, a veil <2571> lies <2749> over <1909> their <846> minds <2588>,
16but <1161> when <2259> one turns <1994> to <4314> the Lord <2962>, the veil <2571> is removed <4014>.
17Now <1161> the Lord <2962> is <1510> the Spirit <4151>, and <1161> where <3757> the Spirit <4151> of the Lord <2962> is present, there is freedom <1657>.
18And <1161> we <2249> all <3956>, with unveiled <343> faces <4383> reflecting <2734> the glory <1391> of the Lord <2962>, are being transformed <3339> into the same <846> image <1504> from <575> one degree of glory <1391> to <1519> another <2509>, which is from <575> the Lord <2962>, who is the Spirit <4151>.