KJV-Parallel Bibles
1. 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.
1. Do we seem to be again attempting to put ourselves in the right? or have we need, as some have, of letters of approval to you or from you?
2. You yourselves are our letter, whose writing is in our heart, open for every man's reading and knowledge;
3. For you are clearly a letter of Christ, the fruit of our work, recorded not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in stone, but in hearts of flesh.
4. And this is the certain faith which we have in God through Christ:
5. Not as if we were able by ourselves to do anything for which we might take the credit; but our power comes from God;
6. Who has made us able to be servants of a new agreement; not of the letter, but of the Spirit: for the letter gives death, but the Spirit gives life.
7. For if the operation of the law, giving death, recorded in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the eyes of the children of Israel had to be turned away from the face of Moses because of its glory, a glory which was only for a time:
8. Will not the operation of the Spirit have a much greater glory?
9. For if the operation of the law, producing punishment, had its glory, how much greater will be the operation of the Spirit causing righteousness?
10. For the glory of the first no longer seems to be glory, because of the greater glory of that which comes after.
11. For if the order which was for a time had its glory, much more will the eternal order have its glory.
12. Having then such a hope, we keep nothing back,
13. And are not like Moses, who put a veil on his face, so that the children of Israel might not see clearly to the end of the present order of things:
14. But their minds were made hard: for to this very day at the reading of the old agreement the same veil is still unlifted; though it is taken away in Christ.
15. But to this day, at the reading of the law of Moses, a veil is over their heart.
16. But when it is turned to the Lord, the veil will be taken away.
17. Now the Lord is the Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there the heart is free.
18. But we all, with unveiled face giving back as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord who is the Spirit.
Related Links:
KJV Bible ; Preface to the KJV 1611 ; Read the KJV in 1 Year!
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