DO we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some,
commendatory letters to you, or commendatory letters from you? (2)Ye
are our letter written in our hearts, acknowledged and read of all men:
(3)because ye are manifestly seen to be the letter of Christ, of which
we have been the secretaries, written not with ink, but by the Spirit
of the living God, not on tables of stone, but on the fleshly tables of
the heart. (4)And such confidence have we through Christ towards God:
(5)not that we are sufficient of ourselves to account any thing of
ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God. (6)Who hath made us also able
ministers of the new testament, not of the letter but of the spirit;
for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
(7)For if the ministry of death in letters graven on stone, was
attended with glory, so that the children of Israel could not keep
their eyes fixed upon the countenance of Moses, because of the glory of
his countenance, though _soon_ evanescent; (8)how much more will not
the ministry of the Spirit be attended with glory? (9)For if the
ministry of condemnation is glory, much more doth the ministry of
righteousness excel in glory. (10)For that which was glorious hath no
glory, comparatively, because of the glory which excelleth. (11)For if
that which was abolished came in a glorious manner, much more is that
which remaineth glorious.
(12)Having therefore such a hope, we use much freedom of speech.
(13)And _act_ not as Moses who spread a veil over his face, in order
that the children of Israel might not look stedfastly to the end of
that which should be abolished. (14)But their understandings were
darkened: for unto this day the same veil in their reading the old
testament abideth unremoved; which veil is taken away by Christ.
(15)For unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is spread over
their hearts. (16)Nevertheless, when Israel shall turn unto the Lord,
the veil shall be taken away.
(17)Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is,
there is liberty. (18)And we all with face unveiled, beholding the
glory of the Lord _reflected_ as in a mirror, according to the same
image, receive a transformation from glory into glory, as by the Lord,
the Spirit.