1 Are we beginning to A2 Cor 5:12; 10:12, 18; 12:11commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some, BActs 18:27; 1 Cor 16:3letters of commendation to you or from you? 2 A1 Cor 9:2You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men; 3 being manifested that you are a letter of Christ, 1Lit servedA2 Cor 3:6cared for by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of BMatt 16:16the living God, not on CEx 24:12; 31:18; 32:15f; 2 Cor 3:7tablets of stone but on DProv 3:3; 7:3; Jer 17:1tablets of 2Lit hearts of fleshEJer 31:33; Ezek 11:19; 36:26human hearts.

4 Such AEph 3:12confidence we have through Christ toward God. 5 Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but A1 Cor 15:10our adequacy is from God, 6 who also made us adequate as A1 Cor 3:5servants of a BJer 31:31; Luke 22:20new covenant, not of CRom 2:29the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but DJohn 6:63; Rom 7:6the Spirit gives life.

7 But if the ARom 4:15; 5:20; 7:5f; 2 Cor 3:9; Gal 3:10, 21fministry of death, BEx 24:12; 31:18; 32:15f; 2 Cor 3:3in letters engraved on stones, came 1Or in glorywith glory, CEx 34:29-35; 2 Cor 3:13so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory? 9 For if ADeut 27:26; 2 Cor 3:7; Heb 12:18-21the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the BRom 1:17; 3:21fministry of righteousness abound in glory. 10 For indeed what had glory, in this case has no glory because of the glory that surpasses it. 11 For if that which fades away was 1Lit throughwith glory, much more that which remains is in glory.

12 A2 Cor 7:4Therefore having such a hope, BActs 4:13, 29; 2 Cor 7:4; Eph 6:19; 1 Thess 2:2we use great boldness in our speech, 13 and are not like Moses, AEx 34:33-35; 2 Cor 3:7who used to put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel would not look intently at the end of what was fading away. 14 But their minds were ARom 11:7; 2 Cor 4:4hardened; for until this very day at the BActs 13:15reading of C2 Cor 3:6the old covenant the same veil 1Or remains, it not being revealed that it is done away in Christremains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ. 15 But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart; 16 AEx 34:34; Rom 11:23but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where AIs 61:1f; Gal 4:6the Spirit of the Lord is, BJohn 8:32; Gal 5:1, 13there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, A1 Cor 13:12beholding as in a mirror the BJohn 17:22, 24; 2 Cor 4:4, 6glory of the Lord, are being CRom 8:29transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from D2 Cor 3:17the Lord, the Spirit.