3 Do
we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles
of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you? 2 Ye
are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: 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. 4 And
such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: 5 Not
that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves;
but our sufficiency is of 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. 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: 8 How
shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? 9 For
if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration
of righteousness exceed in glory.
10
For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason
of the glory that excelleth. 11 For
if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth
is glorious. 12 Seeing
then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: 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: 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. 15 But
even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. 16 Nevertheless
when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away. 17 Now
the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 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.