New International Version NIV
Hebrew Names Version HNV
1 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you?
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Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as do some, letters of commendation to you or from you?
2 You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone.
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You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men;
3 You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
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being revealed that you are a letter of Messiah, ministered 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.
4 Such confidence we have through Christ before God.
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Such confidence we have through Messiah toward God;
5 Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.
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not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God;
6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
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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.
7 Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, transitory though it was,
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But if the service of death, written engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the children of Yisra'el could not look steadfastly on the face of Moshe for the glory of his face; which was passing away:
8 will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious?
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won't service of the Spirit be with much more glory?
9 If the ministry that brought condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness!
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For if the service of condemnation has glory, the service of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.
10 For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory.
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For most assuredly that which has been made glorious has not been made glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasses.
11 And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!
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For if that which passes away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory.
12 Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold.
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Having therefore such a hope, we use great boldness of speech,
13 We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away.
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and not as Moshe, who put a veil on his face, that the children of Yisra'el wouldn't look steadfastly on the end of that which was passing away.
14 But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away.
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But their minds were hardened, for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains, because in Messiah it passes away.
15 Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts.
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But to this day, when Moshe is read, a veil lies on their heart.
16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
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But whenever one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
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Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
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But 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.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Hebrew Names Version is in the public domain.