Focused Passage

2 Corinthians 3:1-6

Letters of Christ, New Covenant Ministry, and Unveiled Glory

Paul moves from refusing the need for self-commendation, to identifying the Corinthians as a Spirit-written letter of Christ, to contrasting letter-and-death with Spirit-and-life, to showing that the fading Mosaic glory gives way to the surpassing glory of new covenant ministry, and finally to the unveiled freedom and transformation found in the Lord by the Spirit.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you?

2 You yourselves are our letter, inscribed on our hearts, known and read by everyone.

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.

4 Such confidence before God is ours through Christ.

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.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Cross-references

2 Corinthians 10:12 Classic cross-references 2 Corinthians 12:11 Classic cross-references 2 Corinthians 5:12 Classic cross-references Acts 18:27 Classic cross-references 1 Corinthians 16:3 Classic cross-references Galatians 3:13-14 OliveGrove study links Hebrews 8:6-13 OliveGrove study links John 3:5-8 OliveGrove study links

Original words

Are we beginning Ἀρχόμεθα G756 Verb - Present Indicative Middle - 1st Person Plural to commend συνιστάνειν G4921 Verb - Present Infinitive Active ourselves ἑαυτοὺς G1438 Reflexive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Plural again πάλιν G3825 Adverb Or ἢ G2228 Conjunction vvv μὴ G3361 Adverb do we need χρῄζομεν G5535 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural like ὥς G5613 Adverb some [people] τινες G5100 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Plural letters ἐπιστολῶν G1992 Noun - Genitive Feminine Plural of recommendation συστατικῶν G4956 Adjective - Genitive Feminine Plural to πρὸς G4314 Preposition you ὑμᾶς G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Plural or ἢ G2228 Conjunction from ἐξ G1537 Preposition you ὑμῶν G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural

Verse 2

Cross-references

1 Corinthians 9:1 Classic cross-references 1 Thessalonians 1:8 Classic cross-references Romans 1:8 Classic cross-references 1 Corinthians 3:6 Classic cross-references Philippians 1:7 Classic cross-references Galatians 3:13-14 OliveGrove study links Hebrews 8:6-13 OliveGrove study links John 3:5-8 OliveGrove study links

Original words

You yourselves ὑμεῖς G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 2nd Person Plural are ἐστε G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural our ἡμῶν G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Plural - ἡ G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular letter ἐπιστολὴ G1992 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular inscribed ἐνγεγραμμένη G1449 Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Feminine Singular on ἐν G1722 Preposition our ἡμῶν G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Plural - ταῖς G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Plural hearts καρδίαις G2588 Noun - Dative Feminine Plural known γινωσκομένη G1097 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Feminine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction read ἀναγινωσκομένη G314 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Feminine Singular by ὑπὸ G5259 Preposition everyone πάντων G3956 Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural . . . ἀνθρώπων G444 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural

Verse 3

Cross-references

Hebrews 8:10 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 31:33 Classic cross-references Ezekiel 36:26 Classic cross-references Ezekiel 11:19 Classic cross-references Proverbs 3:3 Classic cross-references Galatians 3:13-14 OliveGrove study links Hebrews 8:6-13 OliveGrove study links John 3:5-8 OliveGrove study links

Original words

It is clear φανερούμενοι G5319 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Plural that ὅτι G3754 Conjunction you are ἐστὲ G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural a letter ἐπιστολὴ G1992 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular from Christ Χριστοῦ G5547 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular the result of our ministry διακονηθεῖσα G1247 Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Feminine Singular . . . ὑφ’ G5259 Preposition . . . ἡμῶν G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Plural written ἐνγεγραμμένη G1449 Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Feminine Singular not οὐ G3756 Adverb with ink μέλανι G3188 Noun - Dative Neuter Singular but ἀλλὰ G235 Conjunction with [the] Spirit Πνεύματι G4151 Noun - Dative Neuter Singular of [the] living ζῶντος G2198 Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Singular God Θεοῦ G2316 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular not οὐκ G3756 Adverb on ἐν G1722 Preposition tablets πλαξὶν G4109 Noun - Dative Feminine Plural of stone λιθίναις G3035 Adjective - Dative Feminine Plural but ἀλλ’ G235 Conjunction on ἐν G1722 Preposition tablets πλαξὶν G4109 Noun - Dative Feminine Plural of human σαρκίναις G4560 Adjective - Dative Feminine Plural hearts καρδίαις G2588 Noun - Dative Feminine Plural

Verse 4

Cross-references

Philippians 4:13 Classic cross-references Ephesians 3:12 Classic cross-references Philippians 1:6 Classic cross-references Matthew 13:52 Classic cross-references 1 Thessalonians 1:8 Classic cross-references Galatians 3:13-14 OliveGrove study links Hebrews 8:6-13 OliveGrove study links John 3:5-8 OliveGrove study links

Original words

- δὲ G1161 Conjunction Such τοιαύτην G5108 Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Feminine Singular confidence Πεποίθησιν G4006 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular before πρὸς G4314 Preposition - τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular God Θεόν G2316 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular is ours ἔχομεν G2192 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural through διὰ G1223 Preposition - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular Christ Χριστοῦ G5547 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular

Verse 5

Cross-references

Philippians 2:13 Classic cross-references 2 Corinthians 12:9 Classic cross-references 2 Corinthians 4:7 Classic cross-references Philippians 4:13 Classic cross-references 1 Corinthians 15:10 Classic cross-references Galatians 3:13-14 OliveGrove study links Hebrews 8:6-13 OliveGrove study links John 3:5-8 OliveGrove study links

Original words

Not οὐχ G3756 Adverb that ὅτι G3754 Conjunction we are ἐσμεν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural competent ἱκανοί G2425 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural in ἀφ’ G575 Preposition ourselves ἑαυτῶν G1438 Reflexive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural to claim that λογίσασθαί G3049 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Middle anything τι G5100 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular [comes] ὡς G5613 Adverb from ἐξ G1537 Preposition us ἑαυτῶν G1438 Reflexive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural but ἀλλ’ G235 Conjunction our ἡμῶν G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Plural - ἡ G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular competence ἱκανότης G2426 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular [comes] from ἐκ G1537 Preposition - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular God Θεοῦ G2316 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular

Verse 6

Cross-references

Romans 8:2 Classic cross-references 2 Corinthians 3:17 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 31:31 Classic cross-references John 6:63 Classic cross-references Romans 7:6 Classic cross-references Galatians 3:13-14 OliveGrove study links Hebrews 8:6-13 OliveGrove study links John 3:5-8 OliveGrove study links

Original words

And καὶ G2532 Conjunction He ὃς G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular has qualified ἱκάνωσεν G2427 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular us ἡμᾶς G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Plural [as] ministers διακόνους G1249 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural of a new καινῆς G2537 Adjective - Genitive Feminine Singular covenant διαθήκης G1242 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular not οὐ G3756 Adverb of [the] letter γράμματος G1121 Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular but ἀλλὰ G235 Conjunction of [the] Spirit πνεύματος G4151 Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular for γὰρ G1063 Conjunction the τὸ G3588 Article - Nominative Neuter Singular letter γράμμα G1121 Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular kills ἀποκτέννει* G615 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular but δὲ G1161 Conjunction the τὸ G3588 Article - Nominative Neuter Singular Spirit πνεῦμα G4151 Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular gives life ζωοποιεῖ G2227 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular

Read full chapter context All 2 Corinthians chapters

<- 2 Corinthians 2 2 Corinthians 3 2 Corinthians 4 ->