3
Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declaredtobe the epistle of Christministeredbyus, writtennot with ink, but with the Spirit of the livingGod; notintables of stone, butinfleshytables of the heart.
4Andsuchtrust have wethroughChristtoGod-ward:
5Notthat we aresufficientofourselves to think any thingasofourselves; butoursufficiency is ofGod;
6Whoalso hath madeusableministers of the newtestament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letterkilleth, but the spirit giveth life.
7Butif the ministration of death, written and engraveninstones, wasglorious, so that the children of Israelcouldnot stedfastly behold the face of Mosesfor the glory of hiscountenance; whichglorywas to be done away:
8Howshallnot the ministration of the spiritberatherglorious?
9Forif the ministration of condemnation be glory, muchmore doth the ministration of righteousnessexceedinglory.
10Foreven that which was made glorious had nogloryinthisrespect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.
11Forif that which is done away was glorious, muchmore that which remaineth is glorious.
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Seeing then that we havesuchhope, we usegreat plainness of speech:
13AndnotasMoses, which put a vailoverhisface, that the children of Israelcouldnot stedfastly lookto the end of that which is abolished:
14Buttheirminds were blinded: foruntil this dayremaineth the samevailuntakenawayin the reading of the oldtestament; whichvail is done awayinChrist.
15Buteven unto this day, whenMoses is read, the vail is upontheirheart.
16Neverthelesswhenit shall turnto the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
17Now the Lordis that Spirit: andwhere the Spirit of the Lordis, thereisliberty.
18Butweall, with openface beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the sameimagefromglorytoglory, even asby the Spirit of the Lord.