2 Corinthians 3:7

5 Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim that anything comes from us, but our competence comes from God.

6 And He has qualified us as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Now if the ministry of death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at the face of Moses because of its fleeting glory,

8 will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious?

9 For if the ministry of condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry of righteousness!

Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
Now if the ministry of death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at the face of Moses because of its fleeting glory,
KJV
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:
WEB
But if the service of death, written engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look steadfastly on the face of Moses for the glory of his face, which was passing away,
ASV
But if the ministration of death, written, [and] engraven on stones, came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look stedfastly upon the face of Moses for the glory of his face; which [glory] was passing away:
DARBY
(But if the ministry of death, in letters, graven in stones, began with glory, so that the children of Israel could not fix their eyes on the face of Moses, on account of the glory of his face, [a glory] which is annulled;
BLB
Now if the ministry of death, having been engraved in letters on stones, came into being in glory so as for the sons of Israel not to be able to look intently into the face of Moses on account of the glory of his face that is fading away,
ÅB
Dersom da dødens tjeneste, som med bokstaver var innhugget i steiner, fremtrådte i herlighet, så at Israels barn ikke tålte å se på Mose åsyn for hans åsyns herlighets skyld, som dog svant,
OTB
Men hvis tjenesten som brakte død, inngravert i bokstaver på steiner, kom med herlighet slik at Israels sønner ikke kunne stirre fast på Moses' ansikt på grunn av herligheten i hans ansikt, som var avtagende,
B1930
Dersom da dødens tjeneste, som med bokstaver var innhugget i stener, fremtrådte i herlighet, så at Israels barn ikke tålte å se på Mose åsyn for hans åsyns herlighets skyld, som dog svant,

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • 2 Corinthians 3:9–11

    For if the ministry of condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry of righteousness!

    Read in context
  • Romans 10:4

    For Christ is the end of the law, to bring righteousness to everyone who believes.

    Read in context
  • Exodus 31:18

    When the LORD had finished speaking with Moses on Mount Sinai, He gave him the two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God.

    Read in context
  • 1 Corinthians 13:10

    but when the perfect comes, the partial passes away.

    Read in context
  • 2 Corinthians 3:3

    It is clear 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.

    Read in context
  • 2 Corinthians 3:6

    And He has qualified us as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

    Read in context
  • Exodus 24:12

    Then the LORD said to Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain and stay here, so that I may give you the tablets of stone, with the law and commandments I have written for their instruction.”

    Read in context
  • Deuteronomy 10:1–4

    At that time the LORD said to me, “Chisel out two stone tablets like the originals, come up to Me on the mountain, and make an ark of wood.

    Read in context