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2 Corinthians 3

KJ3 Literal Translation — Chapter 3 of 13

1 Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we, as some, need commendatory letters to you, or commendatory ones from you?

2 You are our letter, having been inscribed in our hearts, being known and being read by all men,

3 it being made known that you are Christ’s letter, ministered by us, not having been inscribed by ink, but by the Spirit of the living God, not in tablets of stone, but in fleshly tablets of the heart.

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Chapter Summary

Lest their false teachers should charge him with vainglory, he shows the faith and graces of the Corinthians to be a sufficient commendation of his ministry.

Key Greek Words

γράμματος bill, learning, letter G1121
ἀτενίσαι behold earnestly (stedfastly), fasten (eyes), look G816
εἰς against, among, as G1519
καταργουμένην abolish, cease, cumber G2673
μᾶλλον better, X far G3123

People & Context

Living Letters of Christ

Paul asserts that he does not need written commendatory letters because the Corinthians themselves are Christ's letter, inscribed by the Spirit on fle…

Contrasting the Old and New Covenants

Paul contrasts the fading glory of Moses' ministry of death, written on stone, with the surpassing, permanent glory of the ministry of the Spirit [10-…

The Unveiled Face

He explains that a veil remains over the hearts of Israelites reading the Old Covenant, but in Christ, the veil is removed, allowing believers to be t…

Timeline

Living Letters of Christ

Paul asserts that he does not need written commendatory letters because the Corinthians themselves are Christ's letter, inscribed by the Spirit on fleshly tablets of the heart .

2 Corinthians 3:1-3
Contrasting the Old and New Covenants

Paul contrasts the fading glory of Moses' ministry of death, written on stone, with the surpassing, permanent glory of the ministry of the Spirit [10-12].

2 Corinthians 3:7-11
The Unveiled Face

He explains that a veil remains over the hearts of Israelites reading the Old Covenant, but in Christ, the veil is removed, allowing believers to be transformed into His glorious image .

2 Corinthians 3:14-18

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