1 Are we beginning again to recommend ourselves? Or do we, like some, need letters of recommendation to you or from you?

Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?

2 You are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone.

Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:

3 It is clear that you are a letter of Christ, served 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.

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.

4 Such confidence we have through Christ before God.

And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:

5 Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God.

Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;

6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

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.

7 If the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not look intently at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was passing away,

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:

8 will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious?

How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?

9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness far exceeds it in glory.

For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.

10 Indeed, what once had glory now has no glory at all because of the surpassing glory.

For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.

11 For if what was passing away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of what remains!

For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.

12 Since we have such a hope, we act with great boldness,

Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:

13 not like Moses, who put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was fading away.

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:

14 But their minds were hardened. For to this day, the same veil remains at the reading of the old covenant. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away.

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.

15 But even to this day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts.

But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.

16 But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.

Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.

17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

18 And we all, with unveiled faces, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this transformation comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

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.