2 Corinthians 3
New Testament · English Majority Text Version with Greek parallel
2 Corinthians chapter 3 is given here in full, verse by verse, in the English Majority Text Version (EMTV), with the Byzantine Majority Text set beneath each verse. The text follows the Byzantine textual tradition used in the Orthodox Church.
2 patristic excerpts are attached to this chapter, from Saint John Chrysostom.
2 Corinthians 3
1Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or letters of recommendation from you?Ἀρχόμεθα πάλιν ἑαυτοὺς συνιστάνειν; Εἰ μὴ χρῄζομεν, ὥς τινες, συστατικῶν ἐπιστολῶν πρὸς ὑμᾶς, ἢ ἐξ ὑμῶν συστατικῶν;
2You yourselves are our letter, having been written in our hearts, being known and being read by all men;Ἡ ἐπιστολὴ ἡμῶν ὑμεῖς ἐστε, ἐγγεγραμμένη ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ἡμῶν, γινωσκομένη καὶ ἀναγινωσκομένη ὑπὸ πάντων ἀνθρώπων·
3being made known that you are the letter of Christ, which was ministered by us, having been written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not in tablets of stone but in tablets of flesh, namely in hearts.φανερούμενοι ὅτι ἐστὲ ἐπιστολὴ Χριστοῦ διακονηθεῖσα ὑφ᾽ ἡμῶν, ἐγγεγραμμένη οὐ μέλανι, ἀλλὰ Πνεύματι Θεοῦ ζῶντος, οὐκ ἐν πλαξὶ λιθίναις, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν πλαξὶ καρδίαις σαρκίναις.
4And we have such trust through Christ toward God.Πεποίθησιν δὲ τοιαύτην ἔχομεν διὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ πρὸς τὸν Θεόν·
5Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to consider anything as from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God,οὐχ ὅτι ἱκανοί ἐσμεν ἀφ᾽ ἑαυτῶν λογίσασθαί τι ὡς ἐξ ἑαυτῶν, ἀλλ᾽ ἡ ἱκανότης ἡμῶν ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ·
6who also has made us efficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit makes alive.ὃς καὶ ἱκάνωσεν ἡμᾶς διακόνους καινῆς διαθήκης, οὐ γράμματος, ἀλλὰ Πνεύματος· τὸ γὰρ γράμμα ἀποκτένει, τὸ δὲ Πνεῦμα ζῳοποιεῖ.
7Now if the ministry of death, having been engraved in letters on stones, came to be with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look intently into the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, the glory which was passing away,Εἰ δὲ ἡ διακονία τοῦ θανάτου ἐν γράμμασιν, ἐντετυπωμένη ἐν λίθοις, ἐγενήθη ἐν δόξῃ, ὥστε μὴ δύνασθαι ἀτενίσαι τοὺς υἱοὺς Ἰσραὴλ εἰς τὸ πρόσωπον Μωϋσέως διὰ τὴν δόξαν τοῦ προσώπου αὐτοῦ, τὴν καταργουμένην,
8how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious?πῶς οὐχὶ μᾶλλον ἡ διακονία τοῦ Πνεύματος ἔσται ἐν δόξῃ;
9For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness exceed in glory.Εἰ γὰρ ἡ διακονία τῆς κατακρίσεως δόξα, πολλῷ μᾶλλον περισσεύει ἡ διακονία τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἐν δόξῃ.
10For even that which has been glorified has not been glorified in this respect, because of the surpassing glory.Καὶ γὰρ οὐ δεδόξασται τὸ δεδοξασμένον ἐν τούτῳ τῷ μέρει, ἕνεκεν τῆς ὑπερβαλλούσης δόξης.
11For if that which fades away was glorious, then that which remains is much more glorious.Εἰ γὰρ τὸ καταργούμενον, διὰ δόξης, πολλῷ μᾶλλον τὸ μένον, ἐν δόξῃ.
12Therefore, having such hope, we use great boldness of speech—Ἔχοντες οὖν τοιαύτην ἐλπίδα, πολλῇ παρρησίᾳ χρώμεθα·
13and not as Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the end of what was fading away.καὶ οὐ καθάπερ Μωϋσῆς ἐτίθει κάλυμμα ἐπὶ τὸ πρόσωπον ἑαυτοῦ, πρὸς τὸ μὴ ἀτενίσαι τοὺς υἱοὺς Ἰσραὴλ εἰς τὸ τέλος τοῦ καταργουμένου·
14But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is removed in Christ.ἀλλ᾽ ἐπωρώθη τὰ νοήματα αὐτῶν· ἄχρι γὰρ τῆς σήμερον τὸ αὐτὸ κάλυμμα ἐπὶ τῇ ἀναγνώσει τῆς παλαιᾶς διαθήκης μένει μὴ ἀνακαλυπτόμενον, ὅτι ἐν Χριστῷ καταργεῖται.
15But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart.Ἀλλ᾽ ἕως σήμερον, ἡνίκα ἀναγινώσκεται Μωϋσῆς, κάλυμμα ἐπὶ τὴν καρδίαν αὐτῶν κεῖται.
16But whenever one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.Ἡνίκα δ᾽ ἂν ἐπιστρέψῃ πρὸς Κύριον, περιαιρεῖται τὸ κάλυμμα.
17Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.Ὁ δὲ Κύριος τὸ Πνεῦμά ἐστιν· οὗ δὲ τὸ Πνεῦμα Κυρίου, ἐκεῖ ἐλευθερία.
18But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.Ἡμεῖς δὲ πάντες, ἀνακεκαλυμμένῳ προσώπῳ τὴν δόξαν Κυρίου κατοπτριζόμενοι, τὴν αὐτὴν εἰκόνα μεταμορφούμεθα ἀπὸ δόξης εἰς δόξαν, καθάπερ ἀπὸ Κυρίου Πνεύματος.
The Fathers on 2 Corinthians 3
Saint John Chrysostom comments on this chapter. Each excerpt below is drawn from the full text held in the Fathers Library; follow the link on any entry to read the whole work.
On 2 Corinthians 3:1Saint John ChrysostomAre we beginning, again to commend ourselves? or need we, as do some, epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you?
Read Homilies on the Second Epistle to the Corinthians →
On 2 Corinthians 3:7–8Open 2 Corinthians 3 in the interactive reader Switch translations, hear the chapter read aloud, tap any verse for its patristic commentary, and study the Greek word by word.Saint John ChrysostomBut if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look steadfastly upon the face of Moses, for the glory of his face; which glory was passing away: how shall not rather the ministration of the Spirit be with glory?
Read Homilies on the Second Epistle to the Corinthians →