The Bible — World English Bible

2 Corinthians 3

In brief

In 2 Corinthians 3, Paul defends his ministry: the church itself, written by the Spirit on hearts, is the letter of Christ. He compares the old covenant, engraved on stone and carried by Moses whose face shone with a fading glory, to the new covenant of the Spirit, whose glory is greater. The veil of Moses is taken away in Christ. The chapter ends on the freedom the Spirit gives and on the transformation of the believer who beholds the glory of the Lord.

The chapter in 5 parts

  1. v. 1-3You are our letter, written by the Spirit on hearts
  2. v. 4-6Ministers of a new covenant, made able by God
  3. v. 7-11The fading glory of Moses and the greater glory of the Spirit
  4. v. 12-16The veil of Moses, taken away when one turns to the Lord
  5. v. 17-18Where the Spirit is, there is freedom, and transformation

1Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as do some, letters of commendation to you or from you?

2You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men,

3being revealed that you are a letter of Christ, served by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tablets of stone, but in tablets that are hearts of flesh.

4Such confidence we have through Christ toward God,

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 servants of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

7But if the service of death, written engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look steadfastly on the face of Moses for the glory of his face, which was passing away,

8won’t service of the Spirit be with much more glory?

9For if the service of condemnation has glory, the service of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.

10For most certainly that which has been made glorious has not been made glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasses.

11For if that which passes away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory.

12Having therefore such a hope, we use great boldness of speech,

13and not as Moses, who put a veil on his face, that the children of Israel wouldn’t look steadfastly 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 remains, because in Christ it passes away.

15But to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart.

16But whenever someone turns 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 seeing the glory of the Lord as in a mirror, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit.

Key verses

Verse 3
being revealed that you are a letter of Christ, served by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tablets of stone, but in tablets that are hearts of flesh.

Paul describes the church as a letter written not with ink but with the Spirit, not on stone but on hearts. God's work is seen in changed lives.

Verse 5
not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God,

The ability to serve does not come from personal talent but from God. The verse is an invitation to humility, and also to confidence.

Verse 6
who also made us sufficient as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Paul contrasts the letter and the spirit: the law alone shows the fault without giving the strength to live it out, while the Spirit gives life. Christian traditions explain the relationship between the two covenants in different ways.

Verse 17
Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

The text ties freedom to the presence of the Spirit. It is not about doing whatever one wants, but about being freed from the veil and from condemnation in order to approach God.

Verse 18
But we all, with unveiled face seeing the glory of the Lord as in a mirror, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit.

This is the central verse for the Christian life: by beholding the glory of the Lord, the believer is transformed into his image. Change comes from what we look at, not from isolated effort.

Bible verses to meditate on

What the sermons say

Behold Christ, and Let the Gospel Transform You Into His ImageMatt Glock reads 2 Corinthians 3:12-18 and shows that you do not transform yourself: it is by beholding Jesus Christ in his glory that you are changed, from glory to glory, by the Spirit.Read the summary →The Contemplation That Restores the Image of Christ in YouMalu Bialuta starts from verse 18 to talk about the battle of the image, and the need for God himself rather than for what he gives. Contemplation is presented as the path to restoring the image of Christ.Read the summary →Who Do You Look Like? Made in God's ImageKevin Ango follows the thread of the image of God, from creation to Christ by way of Moses and his veil. He asks the question: are you still just a believer, or have you become a disciple?Read the summary →Attaining the Image of Christ Through the Holy SpiritRenathe Yao asks whether one can resemble Christ without the Holy Spirit taking control of one's life. She stresses thirst as the condition for being filled.Read the summary →Step Into His Presence, Carry His Glory EverywhereThe sermon traces the history of closeness to God, from the intimacy lost in Eden to the rare access of the old covenant, up to the possibility of entering his presence through Jesus.Read the summary →

Frequently asked questions about 2 Corinthians 3

What does “the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” mean?

Paul compares the written law, which reveals sin and condemns, with the work of the Spirit, which gives life. He does not say the law is bad: he says it cannot by itself transform the heart. The new covenant rests on the work of the Spirit in the one who believes.

Why did Moses have a veil over his face?

After being in the presence of God, his face shone, and the Israelites could not look at it. Paul explains that this glory was fading. He uses this image to say that in Christ, the veil is taken away and access to God is open.

What does it mean to be transformed from glory to glory?

Verse 18 describes a gradual change in the believer who beholds the glory of the Lord. He becomes little by little like Christ, through the work of the Spirit. It is not a personal performance, but a work of God that unfolds over time.

What does “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” mean?

In the context of the chapter, this freedom is the freedom to come to God without the veil, without condemnation and with a transformed heart. It frees us to live according to God's will, not to do without him.

Articles quoting 2 Corinthians 3

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World English Bible translation — public domain.