2Corinthians 3

3Are we beginning to praise ourselves again? Are we like others, who need to bring you letters of recommendation, or who ask you to write such letters on their behalf? Surely not!G756G3825G4921G1438G1508G5535G5613G5100G1992G4956G4314G5209G2228G4956G1537G52162The only letter of recommendation we need is you yourselves. Your lives are a letter written in our

hearts; everyone can read it and recognize our good work among you.G5210G2075G2257G1992G1449G1722G2257G2588G1097G2532G314G5259G3956G4443Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you. This “letter” is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts.G5319G3754G2075G1992G5547G1247G5259G2257G1449G3756G3188G235G4151G2198G2316G3756G1722G4109G3035G235G1722G4560G4109G25884We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ.G1161G5108G4006G2192G1223G5547G4314G23165It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God.G3756G3754G2070G2425G575G1438G3049G5100G5613G1537G1438G235G2257G2426G1537G23166He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life.G3739G2532G2427G2248G2427G1249G2537G1242G3756G1121G235G4151G1063G1121G615G1161G4151G2227

The Glory of the New Covenant

7The old way

, with laws etched in stone, led to death, though it began with such glory that the people of Israel could not bear to look at Moses’ face. For his face shone with the glory of God, even though the brightness was already fading away.G1161G1487G1248G2288G1722G1121G1795G1722G3037G1096G1722G1391G5620G5207G2474G1410G3361G816G1519G4383G3475G1223G1391G846G4383G3588G26738Shouldn’t we expect far greater glory under the new way, now that the Holy Spirit is giving life?G4459G1248G3780G1248G4151G2071G3123G1722G13919If the old way, which brings condemnation, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new way, which makes us right with God!G1063G1487G1248G2633G1391G4183G3123G1248G1343G4052G1722G139110In fact, that first glory was not glorious at all compared with the overwhelming glory of the new way.G1063G2532G1392G3761G1392G1722G5129G3313G1752G1391G523511So if the old way, which has been replaced, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new, which remains forever!G1063G1487G2673G1223G1391G4183G3123G3306G1722G139112Since this new way gives us such confidence, we can be very bold.G3767G2192G5108G1680G5530G4183G395413We are not like Moses, who put a veil over his face so the people of Israel would not see the glory, even though it was destined to fade away.G2532G3756G2509G3475G5087G2571G1909G1438G4383G4314G5207G2474G816G3361G816G1519G5056G267314But the people’s minds were hardened, and to this day whenever the old covenant is being read, the same veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth. And this veil can be removed only by believing in Christ.G235G846G3540G4456G1063G891G4594G3306G846G2571G3361G343G1909G320G3820G1242G3748G2673G1722G554715Yes, even today when they read Moses’ writings, their hearts are covered with that veil, and they do not understand.G235G2193G4594G2259G3475G314G2571G2749G1909G846G258816But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.G1161G2259G302G1994G4314G2962G2571G401417For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.G1161G2962G2076G4151G1161G3757G4151G2962G1563G165718So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.G1161G2249G3956G343G4383G2734G1391G2962G3339G846G1504G575G1391G1519G1391G2509G575G4151G2962