Ministers of a New Covenant

1Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or do we need, as some, commendatory letters to you, or [commendatory] from you? 2Ye are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read of all men, 3being manifested to be Christ's epistle ministered by us, written, not with ink, but [the] Spirit of [the] living God; not on stone tables, but on fleshy tables of [the] heart.

4And such confidence have we through the Christ towards God: 5not that we are competent of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, but our competency [is] of God; 6who has also made us competent, [as] ministers of [the] new covenant; not of letter, but of spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit quickens.

The Glory of the New Covenant

(Exodus 34:29-35)

7(But if the ministry of death, in letters, graven in stones, began with glory, so that the children of Israel could not fix their eyes on the face of Moses, on account of the glory of his face, [a glory] which is annulled; 8how shall not rather the ministry of the Spirit subsist in glory? 9For if the ministry of condemnation [be] glory, much rather the ministry of righteousness abounds in glory. 10For also that [which was] glorified is not glorified in this respect, on account of the surpassing glory. 11For if that annulled [was introduced] with glory, much rather that which abides [subsists] in glory.

12Having therefore such hope, we use much boldness: 13and not according as Moses put a veil on his own face, so that the children of Israel should not fix their eyes on the end of that annulled. 14But their thoughts have been darkened, for unto this day the same veil remains in reading the old covenant, unremoved, which in Christ is annulled. 15But unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil lies upon their heart. 16But when it shall turn to [the] Lord, the veil is taken away.) 17Now the Lord is the Spirit, but where the Spirit of [the] Lord [is, there is] liberty. 18But we all, looking on the glory of the Lord, with unveiled face, are transformed according to the same image from glory to glory, even as by [the] Lord [the] Spirit.