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2 Corinthians

Paul defends his apostleship and teaches on the power of God in weakness and the importance of generous giving.

Chapter 3

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

*Do we have to start praising ourselves again? Or do we need letters of recommendation like some others, or letters from you recommending us?

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

*You are like a letter we keep inside our hearts, understood and seen by everyone.

3 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.

*Because you are clearly shown to be Christ's letter given through us, not written with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not on stone tablets, but on the flesh-like tables of your heart.

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

*We have this kind of trust in Christ that leads us closer to God.

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

*We're not good enough on our own, so we don't think highly of ourselves; instead, our strength comes from God.

6 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.

*He has made us capable helpers of the new agreement, not focused on written rules, but on spiritual guidance; because following letters leads to death, but following spirit brings life.

7 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:

*But if the law of death, written on stones, was impressive, making it so that the children of Israel couldn't look directly at Moses' face because of his shining expression. This brightness would eventually go away.

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

*Why wouldn't the work of the Spirit be truly amazing?

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

*If showing people they're wrong brings glory, then the act of showing them as righteous is even more glorious.

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

*Even something great had no special glory because of an even greater glory that shines more brightly.

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

*If something that's gone away was amazing, then what stays now is even more amazing.

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

*Since we have this big hope, we speak very clearly and simply.

13 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:

*And not like Moses, who covered his face, preventing the Israelites from steadily looking at the end of what was canceled.

14 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.

*But they couldn't think clearly: because until now, the same cover hasn't been removed from the old testament. This cover is taken away in Christ.

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

*But until now, when people read about Moses, their hearts are still covered up.

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

*However, when they turn to the Lord, the veil will be removed.

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

*Now, God is like a spirit. Where this spirit is present, people have freedom.

18 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.

*But we all openly see the Lord's greatness like looking in a mirror and change to be like Him, getting more and more similar, just as the Spirit of the LORD guides us.

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* work in progress, there will be mistakes

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