Ministers of the New Covenant

2 Corinthians 3

1 Do a we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as some others, b epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you? 2 c You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; 3 clearly you are an epistle of Christ, d ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not e on tablets of stone but f on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.

4 And we have such trust through Christ toward God. 5 g Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but h our sufficiency is from God, 6 who also made us sufficient as i ministers of j the new covenant, not k of the letter but of the 1 Spirit; 1 for l the letter kills, m but the Spirit gives life.

7 But if n the ministry of death, o written and engraved on stones, was glorious, p so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, 8 how will q the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry r of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. 10 For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. 11 For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious.

12 Therefore, since we have such hope, s we use great boldness of speech - 13 unlike Moses, t who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at u the end of what was passing away. 14 But v their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. 15 But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. 16 Nevertheless w when one turns to the Lord, x the veil is taken away. 17 Now y the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is z liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding a as in a mirror b the glory of the Lord, c are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as 3 by the Spirit of the Lord.

  1. Cross References
    2 Corinthians 5:12
    For we do not commend ourselves again to you, but give you opportunity to boast on our behalf, that you may have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in heart.
    2 Corinthians 10:12
    For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
    2 Corinthians 10:18
    For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends.
    2 Corinthians 12:11
    I have become a fool in boasting; you have compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you; for in nothing was I behind the most eminent apostles, though I am nothing.
  2. Cross References
    Acts 18:27
    And when he desired to cross to Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him; and when he arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace.
  3. Cross References
    1 Corinthians 9:2
    If I am not an apostle to others, yet doubtless I am to you. For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
  4. Cross References
    1 Corinthians 3:5
    Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one?
  5. Cross References
    Exodus 24:12
    Then the LORD said to Moses, "Come up to Me on the mountain and be there; and I will give you tablets of stone, and the law and commandments which I have written, that you may teach them.
    Exodus 31:18
    And when He had made an end of speaking with him on Mount Sinai, He gave Moses two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God.
    Exodus 32:15
    And Moses turned and went down from the mountain, and the two tablets of the Testimony were in his hand. The tablets were written on both sides; on the one side and on the other they were written.
    2 Corinthians 3:7
    But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away.
  6. Cross References
    Psalms 40:8
    I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart.
  7. Cross References
    John 15:5
    I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
  8. Cross References
    1 Corinthians 15:10
    But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
  9. Cross References
    1 Corinthians 3:5
    Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one?
    Ephesians 3:7
    Of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.
  10. Cross References
    Jeremiah 31:31
    Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah -
    Matthew 26:28
    For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
    Luke 22:20
    Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.
  11. Cross References
    Romans 2:27
    And will not the physically uncircumcised, if he fulfills the law, judge you who, even with your written code and circumcision, are a transgressor of the law?
  12. Cross References
    Romans 3:20
    Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
    Galatians 3:10
    For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.
  13. Cross References
    John 6:63
    It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.
    Romans 8:2
    For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
  14. Cross References
    Romans 7:10
    And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death.
  15. Cross References
    Exodus 34:1
    And the LORD said to Moses, "Cut two tablets of stone like the first ones, and I will write on these tablets the words that were on the first tablets which you broke.
    Deuteronomy 10:1
    At that time the LORD said to me, 'Hew for yourself two tablets of stone like the first, and come up to Me on the mountain and make yourself an ark of wood.
  16. Cross References
    Exodus 34:29
    Now it was so, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai (and the two tablets of the Testimony were in Moses' hand when he came down from the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with Him.
  17. Cross References
    Galatians 3:5
    Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? -
  18. Cross References
    Romans 1:17
    For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith.
    Romans 3:21
    But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets.
  19. Cross References
    Acts 4:13
    Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.
    Acts 4:29
    Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word.
    2 Corinthians 7:4
    Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort. I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation.
    Ephesians 6:19
    And for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel.
  20. Cross References
    Exodus 34:33 - 35
    And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face.
    2 Corinthians 3:7
    But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away.
  21. Cross References
    Romans 10:4
    For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
    Galatians 3:23
    But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed.
  22. Cross References
    Isaiah 6:10
    "Make the heart of this people dull, And their ...
    Isaiah 29:10
    For the LORD has poured out on you The spirit o...
    Acts 28:26
    Saying, 'Go to this people and say: "Hearing yo...
    Romans 11:7
    What then? Israel has not obtained what it seek...
    Romans 11:8
    Just as it is written: "God has given them a sp...
    2 Corinthians 4:4
    Whose minds the god of this age has blinded, wh...
  23. Cross References
    Exodus 34:34
    But whenever Moses went in before the LORD to speak with Him, he would take the veil off until he came out; and he would come out and speak to the children of Israel whatever he had been commanded.
    Romans 11:23
    And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
  24. Cross References
    Isaiah 25:7
    And He will destroy on this mountain The surface of the covering cast over all people, And the veil that is spread over all nations.
  25. Cross References
    1 Corinthians 15:45
    And so it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
  26. Cross References
    John 8:32
    "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
    Galatians 5:1
    Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
    Galatians 5:13
    For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
  27. Cross References
    1 Corinthians 13:12
    For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
  28. Cross References
    2 Corinthians 4:4
    Whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
    2 Corinthians 4:6
    For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
  29. Cross References
    Romans 8:29
    For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
    Romans 8:30
    Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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