2 Corinthians 3:6

Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

who also made us sufficient `to be' ministrants of a new covenant, not of letter, but of spirit; for the letter doth kill, and the spirit doth make alive.

📖 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 Lo, days are coming, an affirmation of Jehovah, And I have made with the house of Israel And with the house of Judah a new covenant,
• John 6:63 : 63 the spirit it is that is giving life; the flesh doth not profit anything; the sayings that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life;
• Rom 7:6 : 6 and now we have ceased from the law, that being dead in which we were held, so that we may serve in newness of spirit, and not in oldness of letter.
• Luke 22:20 : 20 In like manner, also, the cup after the supping, saying, `This cup `is' the new covenant in my blood, that for you is being poured forth.
• 1 Cor 11:25 : 25 In like manner also the cup after the supping, saying, `This cup is the new covenant in my blood; this do ye, as often as ye may drink `it' -- to the remembrance of me;'
• Eph 2:5 : 5 even being dead in the trespasses, did make us to live together with the Christ, (by grace ye are having been saved,)
• Eph 3:7 : 7 of which I became a ministrant, according to the gift of the grace of God that was given to me, according to the working of His power;
• 2 Cor 3:14 : 14 but their minds were hardened, for unto this day the same vail at the reading of the Old Covenant doth remain unwithdrawn -- which in Christ is being made useless --
• Rom 8:2 : 2 for the law of the Spirit of the life in Christ Jesus did set me free from the law of the sin and of the death;
• 1 Cor 3:5 : 5 Who, then, is Paul, and who Apollos, but ministrants through whom ye did believe, and to each as the Lord gave?
• 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 did behold, and our hands did handle, concerning the Word of the Life --
• Deut 27:26 : 26 `Cursed `is' he who doth not establish the words of this law, to do them, -- and all the people have said, Amen.
• 1 Cor 3:10 : 10 According to the grace of God that was given to me, as a wise master-builder, a foundation I have laid, and another doth build on `it',
• 2 Cor 5:18-20 : 18 And the all things `are' of God, who reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and did give to us the ministration of the reconciliation, 19 how that God was in Christ -- a world reconciling to Himself, not reckoning to them their trespasses; and having put in us the word of the reconciliation, 20 in behalf of Christ, then, we are ambassadors, as if God were calling through us, we beseech, in behalf of Christ, `Be ye reconciled to God;'
• Gal 3:10-12 : 10 for as many as are of works of law are under a curse, for it hath been written, `Cursed `is' every one who is not remaining in all things that have been written in the Book of the Law -- to do them,' 11 and that in law no one is declared righteous with God, is evident, because `The righteous by faith shall live;' 12 and the law is not by faith, but -- `The man who did them shall live in them.'
• Gal 3:21 : 21 the law, then, `is' against the promises of God? -- let it not be! for if a law was given that was able to make alive, truly by law there would have been the righteousness,
• Eph 2:1 : 1 Also you -- being dead in the trespasses and the sins,
• Eph 4:11-12 : 11 and He gave some `as' apostles, and some `as' prophets, and some `as' proclaimers of good news, and some `as' shepherds and teachers, 12 unto the perfecting of the saints, for a work of ministration, for a building up of the body of the Christ,
• Col 1:25-29 : 25 of which I -- I did become a ministrant according to the dispensation of God, that was given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God, 26 the secret that hath been hid from the ages and from the generations, but now was manifested to his saints, 27 to whom God did will to make known what `is' the riches of the glory of this secret among the nations -- which is Christ in you, the hope of the glory, 28 whom we proclaim, warning every man, and teaching every man, in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus, 29 for which also I labour, striving according to his working that is working in me in power.
• 1 Tim 1:11-12 : 11 according to the good news of the glory of the blessed God, with which I was entrusted. 12 And I give thanks to him who enabled me -- Christ Jesus our Lord -- that he did reckon me stedfast, having put `me' to the ministration,
• 1 Tim 4:6 : 6 These things placing before the brethren, thou shalt be a good ministrant of Jesus Christ, being nourished by the words of the faith, and of the good teaching, which thou didst follow after,
• 2 Tim 1:11 : 11 to which I was placed a preacher and an apostle, and a teacher of nations,
• Heb 7:22 : 22 by so much of a better covenant hath Jesus become surety,
• Heb 8:6-9 : 6 and now he hath obtained a more excellent service, how much also of a better covenant is he mediator, which on better promises hath been sanctioned, 7 for if that first were faultless, a place would not have been sought for a second. 8 For finding fault, He saith to them, `Lo, days come, saith the Lord, and I will complete with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah, a new covenant, 9 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers, in the day of My taking `them' by their hand, to bring them out of the land of Egypt -- because they did not remain in My covenant, and I did not regard them, saith the Lord, -- 10 because this `is' the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel, after those days, saith the Lord, giving My laws into their mind, and upon their hearts I will write them, and I will be to them for a God, and they shall be to Me for a people;
• Heb 9:15-20 : 15 And because of this, of a new covenant he is mediator, that, death having come, for redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, those called may receive the promise of the age-during inheritance, 16 for where a covenant `is', the death of the covenant-victim to come in is necessary, 17 for a covenant over dead victims `is' stedfast, since it is no force at all when the covenant-victim liveth, 18 whence not even the first apart from blood hath been initiated, 19 for every command having been spoken, according to law, by Moses, to all the people, having taken the blood of the calves and goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, he both the book itself and all the people did sprinkle, 20 saying, `This `is' the blood of the covenant that God enjoined unto you,'
• Heb 12:24 : 24 and to a mediator of a new covenant -- Jesus, and to blood of sprinkling, speaking better things than that of Abel!
• Heb 13:20 : 20 And the God of the peace, who did bring up out of the dead the great shepherd of the sheep -- in the blood of an age-during covenant -- our Lord Jesus,
• 1 Pet 3:18 : 18 because also Christ once for sin did suffer -- righteous for unrighteous -- that he might lead us to God, having been put to death indeed, in the flesh, and having been made alive in the spirit,
• 1 Cor 12:28 : 28 And some, indeed, did God set in the assembly, first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, afterwards powers, afterwards gifts of healings, helpings, governings, divers kinds of tongues;
• 1 Cor 15:45 : 45 so also it hath been written, `The first man Adam became a living creature,' the last Adam `is' for a life-giving spirit,
• 2 Cor 3:7 : 7 and if the ministration of the death, in letters, engraved in stones, came in glory, so that the sons of Israel were not able to look stedfastly to the face of Moses, because of the glory of his face -- which was being made useless,
• 2 Cor 3:9 : 9 for if the ministration of the condemnation `is' glory, much more doth the ministration of the righteousness abound in glory;
• John 5:21 : 21 `For, as the Father doth raise the dead, and doth make alive, so also the Son doth make alive whom he willeth;
• Rom 7:9-9 : 9 And I was alive apart from law once, and the command having come, the sin revived, and I died; 10 and the command that `is' for life, this was found by me for death; 11 for the sin, having received an opportunity, through the command, did deceive me, and through it did slay `me';
• Rom 1:5 : 5 through whom we did receive grace and apostleship, for obedience of faith among all the nations, in behalf of his name;
• Rom 2:27-29 : 27 and the uncircumcision, by nature, fulfilling the law, shall judge thee who, through letter and circumcision, `art' a transgressor of law. 28 For he is not a Jew who is `so' outwardly, neither `is' circumcision that which is outward in flesh; 29 but a Jew `is' he who is `so' inwardly, and circumcision `is' of the heart, in spirit, not in letter, of which the praise is not of men, but of God.
• Rom 3:20 : 20 wherefore by works of law shall no flesh be declared righteous before Him, for through law is a knowledge of sin.
• Rom 4:15 : 15 for the law doth work wrath; for where law is not, neither `is' transgression.
• Rom 4:17 : 17 who is father of us all (according as it hath been written -- `A father of many nations I have set thee,') before Him whom he did believe -- God, who is quickening the dead, and is calling the things that be not as being.
• Matt 13:52 : 52 And he said to them, `Because of this every scribe having been discipled in regard to the reign of the heavens, is like to a man, a householder, who doth bring forth out of his treasure things new and old.'
• Matt 26:28 : 28 for this is my blood of the new covenant, that for many is being poured out -- to remission of sins;
• Mark 14:24 : 24 and he said to them, `This is my blood of the new covenant, which for many is being poured out;