2 Corinthians 3:6

World English Bible (2000)

who also made us sufficient as servants of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Ὃς καὶ ἱκάνωσεν ἡμᾶς διακόνους καινῆς διαθήκης· οὐ γράμματος, ἀλλὰ πνεύματος: τὸ γὰρ γράμμα ἀποκτείνει, τὸ δὲ πνεῦμα ζωοποιεῖ.

Transliteration

Who also hikanōsen us diakonous of new diathēkēs; not of grammatos, but of pneumatos: the for gramma apokteinnei, the de pneuma zōopoiei.

Grammar Details

• *hikanōsen*: aorist active indicative, 3rd person singular - made sufficient/qualified
• *diakonous*: noun, accusative plural masculine - servants/ministers
• *diathēkēs*: noun, genitive singular feminine - of covenant/testament
• *grammatos*: noun, genitive singular neuter - of letter/writing
• *pneumatos*: noun, genitive singular neuter - of spirit
• *gramma*: noun, nominative singular neuter - letter/writing
• *apokteinnei*: present active indicative, 3rd person singular - kills
• *de*: conjunction - but/and
• *pneuma*: noun, nominative singular neuter - spirit
• *zōopoiei*: present active indicative, 3rd person singular - gives life

Word Meanings

• *hikanōsen*: made sufficient/qualified/enabled/equipped
• *diakonous*: servants/ministers/attendants
• *diathēkēs*: covenant/testament/contract
• *grammatos*: letter/writing/document/literal meaning
• *pneumatos*: spirit/breath/wind
• *apokteinnei*: kills/puts to death/destroys
• *zōopoiei*: gives life/makes alive/vivifies

Referenced Verses

• Jer 31:31 : 31 Behold, the days come, says Yahweh, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
• John 6:63 : 63 It is the spirit who gives life. The flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and are life.
• Rom 7:6 : 6 But now we have been discharged from the law, having died to that in which we were held; so that we serve in newness of the spirit, and not in oldness of the letter.
• Luke 22:20 : 20 Likewise, he took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
• 1 Cor 11:25 : 25 In the same way he also took the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink, in memory of me."
• Eph 2:5 : 5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
• Eph 3:7 : 7 of which I was made a servant, according to the gift of that grace of God which was given me according to the working of his power.
• 2 Cor 3:14 : 14 But their minds were hardened, for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains, because in Christ it passes away.
• Rom 8:2 : 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death.
• 1 Cor 3:5 : 5 Who then is Apollos, and who is Paul, but servants through whom you believed; and each as the Lord gave to him?
• 1 John 1:1 : 1 That which was from the beginning, that which we have heard, that which we have seen with our eyes, that which we saw, and our hands touched, concerning the Word of life
• Deut 27:26 : 26 'Cursed is he who doesn't confirm the words of this law to do them.' All the people shall say, 'Amen.'"
• 1 Cor 3:10 : 10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another builds on it. But let each man be careful how he builds on it.
• 2 Cor 5:18-20 : 18 But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ, and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not reckoning to them their trespasses, and having committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
• Gal 3:10-12 : 10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse. For it is written, "Cursed is everyone who doesn't continue in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them." 11 Now that no man is justified by the law before God is evident, for, "The righteous will live by faith." 12 The law is not of faith, but, "The man who does them will live by them."
• Gal 3:21 : 21 Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could make alive, most certainly righteousness would have been of the law.
• Eph 2:1 : 1 You were made alive when you were dead in transgressions and sins,
• Eph 4:11-12 : 11 He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, shepherds and teachers; 12 for the perfecting of the saints, to the work of serving, to the building up of the body of Christ;
• Col 1:25-29 : 25 of which I was made a servant, according to the stewardship of God which was given me toward you, to fulfill the word of God, 26 the mystery which has been hidden for ages and generations. But now it has been revealed to his saints, 27 to whom God was pleased to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory; 28 whom we proclaim, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus; 29 for which I also labor, striving according to his working, which works in me mightily.
• 1 Tim 1:11-12 : 11 according to the Good News of the glory of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust. 12 And I thank him who enabled me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he counted me faithful, appointing me to service;
• 1 Tim 4:6 : 6 If you instruct the brothers of these things, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished in the words of the faith, and of the good doctrine which you have followed.
• 2 Tim 1:11 : 11 For this, I was appointed as a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.
• Heb 7:22 : 22 By so much, Jesus has become the collateral of a better covenant.
• Heb 8:6-9 : 6 But now he has obtained a more excellent ministry, by so much as he is also the mediator of a better covenant, which on better promises has been given as law. 7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. 8 For finding fault with them, he said, "Behold, the days come," says the Lord, "that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; 9 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers, in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; for they didn't continue in my covenant, and I disregarded them," says the Lord. 10 "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel. After those days," says the Lord; "I will put my laws into their mind, I will also write them on their heart. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
• Heb 9:15-20 : 15 For this reason he is the mediator of a new covenant, since a death has occurred for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant, that those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. 16 For where a last will and testament is, there must of necessity be the death of him who made it. 17 For a will is in force where there has been death, for it is never in force while he who made it lives. 18 Therefore even the first covenant has not been dedicated without blood. 19 For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20 saying, "This is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded you."
• Heb 12:24 : 24 to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better than that of Abel.
• Heb 13:20 : 20 Now may the God of peace, who brought again from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep with the blood of an eternal covenant, our Lord Jesus,
• 1 Pet 3:18 : 18 Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God; being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;
• 1 Cor 12:28 : 28 God has set some in the assembly: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracle workers, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, and various kinds of languages.
• 1 Cor 15:45 : 45 So also it is written, "The first man, Adam, became a living soul." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
• 2 Cor 3:7 : 7 But if the service of death, written engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look steadfastly on the face of Moses for the glory of his face; which was passing away:
• 2 Cor 3:9 : 9 For if the service of condemnation has glory, the service of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.
• John 5:21 : 21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom he desires.
• Rom 7:9-9 : 9 I was alive apart from the law once, but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. 10 The commandment, which was for life, this I found to be for death; 11 for sin, finding occasion through the commandment, deceived me, and through it killed me.
• Rom 1:5 : 5 through whom we received grace and apostleship, for obedience of faith among all the nations, for his name's sake;
• Rom 2:27-29 : 27 Won't the uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfills the law, judge you, who with the letter and circumcision are a transgressor of the law? 28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh; 29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit not in the letter; whose praise is not from men, but from God.
• Rom 3:20 : 20 Because by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight. For through the law comes the knowledge of sin.
• Rom 4:15 : 15 For the law works wrath, for where there is no law, neither is there disobedience.
• Rom 4:17 : 17 As it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations." This is in the presence of him whom he believed: God, who gives life to the dead, and calls the things that are not, as though they were.
• Matt 13:52 : 52 He said to them, "Therefore, every scribe who has been made a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a householder, who brings out of his treasure new and old things."
• Matt 26:28 : 28 for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the remission of sins.
• Mark 14:24 : 24 He said to them, "This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many.