2 Corinthians 3

DOUAI-RHEIMS	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need (as some do) epistles of commendation to you, or from you?	1 Are we beginning to commend ourselves to you afresh -- as though we needed, like some others, tohave letters of commendation either to you or from you?
2 You are our epistle, written in our hearts, which is known and read by all men:	2 You yourselves are our letter, written in our hearts, that everyone can read and understand;
3 Being manifested, that you are the epistle of Christ, ministered by us, and written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in the fleshly tables of the heart.	3 and it is plain that you are a letter from Christ, entrusted to our care, written not with ink but with theSpirit of the living God; not on stone tablets but on the tablets of human hearts.
4 And such confidence we have, through Christ, towards God.	4 Such is the confidence we have through Christ in facing God;
5 Not that we are sufficient to think any thing of ourselves, as of ourselves: but our sufficiency is from God.	5 it is not that we are so competent that we can claim any credit for ourselves; al our competence comesfrom God.
6 Who also hath made us fit ministers of the new testament, not in the letter, but in the spirit. For the letter killeth, but the spirit quickeneth.	6 He has given us the competence to be ministers of a new covenant, a covenant which is not of writtenletters, but of the Spirit; for the written letters kill, but the Spirit gives life.
7 Now if the ministration of death, engraven with letters upon stones, was glorious; so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses, for the glory of his countenance, which is made void:	7 Now if the administering of death, engraved in letters on stone, occurred in such glory that the Israelitescould not look Moses steadily in the face, because of its glory, transitory though this glory was,
8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather in glory?	8 how much more will the ministry of the Spirit occur in glory!
9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more the ministration of justice aboundeth in glory.	9 For if it is glorious to administer condemnation, to administer saving justice is far richer in glory.
10 For even that which was glorious in this part was not glorified, by reason of the glory that excelleth.	10 Indeed, what was once considered glorious has lost al claim to glory, by contrast with the glory whichtranscends it.
11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is in glory.	11 For if what was transitory had any glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts for ever.
12 Having therefore such hope, we use much confidence:	12 With a hope like this, we can speak with complete fearlessness;
13 And not as Moses put a veil upon his face, that the children of Israel might not steadfastly look on the face of that which is made void.	13 not like Moses who put a veil over his face so that the Israelites should not watch the end of what wastransitory.
14 But their senses were made dull. For, until this present day, the selfsame veil, in the reading of the old testament, remaineth not taken away (because in Christ it is made void).	14 But their minds were closed; indeed, until this very day, the same veil remains over the reading of theOld Testament: it is not lifted, for only in Christ is it done away with.
15 But even until this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart.	15 As it is, to this day, whenever Moses is read, their hearts are covered with a veil,
16 But when they shall be converted to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.	16 and this veil wil not be taken away til they turn to the Lord.
17 Now the Lord is a Spirit. And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.	17 Now this Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
18 But we all beholding the glory of the Lord with open face, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord.	18 And al of us, with our unveiled faces like mirrors reflecting the glory of the Lord, are being transformedinto the image that we reflect in brighter and brighter glory; this is the working of the Lord who is the Spirit.