Ministers of a New Covenant

1DO we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some, commendatory letters to you, or commendatory letters from you? 2Ye are our letter written in our hearts, acknowledged and read of all men: 3because ye are manifestly seen to be the letter of Christ, of which we have been the secretaries, written not with ink, but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tables of stone, but on the fleshly tables of the heart.

4And such confidence have we through Christ towards God: 5not that we are sufficient of ourselves to account any thing of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God. 6Who hath made us also able ministers of the new testament, not of the letter but of the spirit; for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

The Glory of the New Covenant

7For if the ministry of death in letters graven on stone, was attended with glory, so that the children of Israel could not keep their eyes fixed upon the countenance of Moses, because of the glory of his countenance, though soon evanescent; 8how much more will not the ministry of the Spirit be attended with glory? 9For if the ministry of condemnation is glory, much more doth the ministry of righteousness excel in glory. 10For that which was glorious hath no glory, comparatively, because of the glory which excelleth. 11For if that which was abolished came in a glorious manner, much more is that which remaineth glorious.

12Having therefore such a hope, we use much freedom of speech. 13And act not as Moses who spread a veil over his face, in order that the children of Israel might not look stedfastly to the end of that which should be abolished. 14But their understandings were darkened: for unto this day the same veil in their reading the old testament abideth unremoved; which veil is taken away by Christ. 15For unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is spread over their hearts. 16Nevertheless, when Israel shall turn unto the Lord, the veil shall be taken away. 17Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18And we all with face unveiled, beholding the glory of the Lord reflected as in a mirror, according to the same image, receive a transformation from glory into glory, as by the Lord, the Spirit.