2 Corinthians 3 KJV: The Living Letter and the Glory of the Spirit

2 Corinthians 3 articulates the radical difference between the 'Letter' of the Old Covenant, which kills, and the 'Spirit' of the New Covenant, which gives life. This chapter uses the story of Moses’ veil to explain why many are blinded to the Gospel and how the Spirit grants us freedom and transformation. It establishes that the true 'recommendation letters' for ministry are the changed lives of the people themselves.

v1-3: Believers as the Epistle of Christ
v4-11: Comparing the Glory of the Old and New Covenants
v12-18: The Veil Removed and Transformation by the Spirit

2 Corinthians chapter 3

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 fleshy 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 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 vail 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.

Witness your own transformation as Paul explains how the Holy Spirit writes God's law directly onto the human heart. Begin your study with 2 corinthians 3 summary.

Notice that as we 'behold' the glory of the Lord, we are being changed into the same image from 'glory to glory.' The Word Secret is Katoptrizomenoi, meaning to 'behold as in a mirror' or to 'reflect like a mirror,' suggesting our growth happens by looking at Jesus, not by working on ourselves. This shifts the focus of spiritual growth from self-effort to consistent contemplation of Christ. Discover the riches with 2 corinthians 3 commentary, containing expert led word study (original greek/hebrew) and passage level analysis.

Unlock the hidden 2 corinthians 3 1 meaning and summary by exploring context, analyzing original greek and hebrew words, and studying cross references of each verse.

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