2 Corinthians 3:1-18
Do we begin again to
commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation
to you, or letters of commendation from you?
YE ARE OUR EPISTLE WRITTEN IN OUR HEARTS,
KNOWN AND READ OF ALL MEN:
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 FLESHLY TABLES OF THE HEART
And such trust have we through
Christ to God-ward:
Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; 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.
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:
HOW SHALL NOT THE MINISTRATION OF THE SPIRIT
NOT BE
RATHER GLORIOUS
For if the ministration of condemnation be glory,
much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the
GLORY THAT EXCELLETH.
For if that which is done away was glorious,
much more that which remaineth is glorious. Seeing
then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:
And
not as Moses,
which put a veil over his face,
that the children of
Israel could not stedfastly
look to the end of that which is abolished:
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.
But even unto this day, when Moses is read,
the vail is upon their heart.
Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord,
the vail shall be taken away.
NOW THE LORD IS THAT SPIRIT, AND
WHERE THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS,
THERE IS LIBERTY.
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
MERRY CHRISTMAS
LOVE
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