2 Corinthians 3:7
5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
6 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:
8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?
9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
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 ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
Read in contextRomans 10:4
For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
Read in contextExodus 31:18
And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.
Read in context1 Corinthians 13:10
But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
Read in context2 Corinthians 3:3
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.
Read in context2 Corinthians 3:6
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.
Read in contextExodus 24:12
And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.
Read in contextDeuteronomy 10:1–4
At that time the LORD said unto me, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first, and come up unto me into the mount, and make thee an ark of wood.
Read in context