2 Corinthians 3:5-13
New American Standard Bible
Chapter 3
5Not that we are adequate in ourselves so as to consider anything as having come from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, 6who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
7But if the ministry of death, engraved in letters on stones, came with glory so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was,
8how will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory?
9For if the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness excel in glory.
10For indeed what had glory in this case has no glory, because of the glory that surpasses it.
11For if that which fades away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory.
King James Version
Chapter 3
5Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; 6Who 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.
7But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:
8How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?
9For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
10For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.
11For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.
Christian Standard Bible
Chapter 3
5It is not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God. 6He has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
7Now if the ministry that brought death, chiseled in letters on stones, came with glory, so that the Israelites were not able to gaze steadily at Moses’s face because of its glory, which was set aside,
8how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious?
9For if the ministry that brought condemnation had glory, the ministry that brings righteousness overflows with even more glory.
10In fact, what had been glorious is not glorious now by comparison because of the glory that surpasses it.
11For if what was set aside was glorious, what endures will be even more glorious.
New Living Translation
Chapter 3
5It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God. 6He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life.
7The old way, with laws etched in stone, led to death, though it began with such glory that the people of Israel could not bear to look at Moses’ face. For his face shone with the glory of God, even though the brightness was already fading away.
8Shouldn’t we expect far greater glory under the new way, now that the Holy Spirit is giving life?
9If the old way, which brings condemnation, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new way, which makes us right with God!
10In fact, that first glory was not glorious at all compared with the overwhelming glory of the new way.
11So if the old way, which has been replaced, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new, which remains forever!
English Standard Version
Chapter 3
5Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, 6who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
7Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses ' face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end,
8will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory?
9For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory.
10Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it.
11For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory.
New International Version
Chapter 3
5Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. 6He 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.
7Now 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,
8will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious?
9If the ministry that brought condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness!
10For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory.
11And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!
New King James Version
Chapter 3
5Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, 6who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
7But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away,
8how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious?
9For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.
10For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels.
11For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious.