Are we beginning to ^acommend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some, ^bletters of commendation to you or from you? 2 ^aYou are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all people, 3 revealing yourselves, that you are a letter of Christ, ^1adelivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of ^bthe living God, not on ^ctablets of stone but on ^dtablets of ^2ehuman hearts.

4 Such is the ^aconfidence we have toward God through Christ. 5 Not that we are adequate in ourselves so as to consider anything as having come from ourselves, but ^aour adequacy is from God, 6 who also made us adequate as ^aservants of a ^bnew covenant, not of ^cthe letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but ^dthe Spirit gives life.

7 But if the ^aministry of death, engraved ^bin letters on stones, came ¹with glory ^cso 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 ^athe ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ^bministry of righteousness excel 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 ¹with glory, much more that which remains is in glory.

12 ^aTherefore, having such a hope, ^bwe use great boldness in our speech, 13 and we are not like Moses, ^awho used to put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel would not stare at the end of what was fading away. 14 But their minds were ^ahardened; for until this very day at the ^breading of ^cthe old covenant the same veil ¹remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ. 15 But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts; 16 ^abut whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where ^athe Spirit of the Lord is, ^bthere is freedom. 18 But we all, with unveiled faces, ^alooking as in a mirror at the ^bglory of the Lord, are being ^ctransformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from ^dthe Lord, the Spirit.

Are we starting to ^acommend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some false teachers, ^bletters of recommendation to you or from you? No! 2 ^aYou are our letter of recommendation, written in our hearts, recognized and read by everyone. 3 You show that you are a letter from Christ, ^adelivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the ^bliving God, not on ^ctablets of stone but on ^dtablets of ^ehuman hearts. Ex 24:12; 31:18; 32:15, 16; Jer 31:33

4 Such is the ^aconfidence and steadfast reliance and absolute trust that we have through Christ toward God. 5 Not that we are sufficiently qualified in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but ^aour sufficiency and qualifications come from God. 6 He has qualified us making us sufficient as ^aministers of a ^bnew covenant of salvation through Christ, not of ^cthe letter of a written code but of the Spirit; for the letter of the Law kills by revealing sin and demanding obedience, but ^dthe Spirit gives life. Jer 31:31

7 Now if the ^aministry of death, engraved ^bin letters on stones the covenant of the Law which led to death because of sin, came with such glory and splendor ^cthat the Israelites were not able to look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, a brilliance that was fading, Ex 34:29-35 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit the new covenant which allows us to be Spirit-filled fail to be even more glorious and splendid? 9 For if ^athe ministry that brings condemnation the old covenant, the Law has glory, how much more does glory overflow in the ^bministry that brings righteousness the new covenant which declares believers free of guilt and sets them apart for God’s special purpose! 10 Indeed, what had glory the Law, in this case no longer has glory because of the glory that surpasses it the gospel. 11 For if that Law which fades away came with glory, how much more must that gospel which remains and is permanent abide in glory and splendor!

12 ^aSince we have such a glorious hope and confident expectation, ^bwe speak with great courage, 13 and we are not like Moses, ^awho used to put a veil over his face so that the Israelites would not gaze at the end of the glory which was fading away. 14 But in fact their minds were ^ahardened for they had lost the ability to understand; for until this very day at the ^breading of ^cthe old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed only in Christ. 15 But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil of blindness lies over their heart; 16 ^abut whenever a person turns in repentance and faith to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where ^athe Spirit of the Lord is, ^bthere is liberty emancipation from bondage, true freedom. Is 61:1, 2 18 And we all, with unveiled face, continually ^aseeing as in a mirror the ^bglory of the Lord, are progressively being ^ctransformed into His image from one degree of glory to even more glory, which comes from ^dthe Lord, who is the Spirit.