1Are we beginning again to commend ourselves ? or need we , as do some , epistles of commendation to you or from you ? 2Ye are our epistle , written in our hearts , known and read of all men ; 3being made manifest that ye are an 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 tables that are hearts of flesh . 4And such confidence have we through Christ to God-ward : 5not that we are sufficient of ourselves , to account anything as from ourselves ; but our sufficiency is from God ; 6who also made us sufficient as ministers of a new covenant ; not of the letter , but of the spirit : for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life .
The Glory of the New Covenant
7But if the ministration of death , written , and engraven on stones , came with glory , so that the children of Israel could not look stedfastly upon the face of Moses for the glory of his face ; which glory was passing away : 8how shall not rather the ministration of the spirit be with glory ? 9For if the ministration of condemnation hath glory , much rather doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory . 10For verily that which hath been made glorious hath not been made glorious in this respect , by reason of the glory that surpasseth. 11For if that which passeth away was with glory , much more that which remaineth is in glory . 12Having therefore such a hope , we use great boldness of speech ,
The Boldness of the New Covenant Ministry
13and are not as Moses , who put a veil upon his face , that the children of Israel should not look stedfastly on the end of that which was passing away : 14but their minds were hardened : for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remaineth , it not being revealed to them that it is done away in Christ . 15But unto this day , whensoever Moses is read, a veil lieth upon their heart . 16But whensoever it shall turn to the Lord , the veil is taken away . 17Now the Lord is the Spirit : and where the Spirit of the Lord is , there is liberty . 18But we all , with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord , are transformed into the same image from glory to glory , even as from the Lord the Spirit .