2 Corinthians

新约的执事

1我们岂是又举荐自己吗？岂像别人用人的荐信给你们或用你们的荐信给人吗？

2你们就是我们的荐信，写在我们的心里，被众人所知道所念诵的。

3你们明显是基督的信，借着我们修成的。不是用墨写的，乃是用永生 神的灵写的；不是写在石版上，乃是写在心版上。

4我们因基督，所以在 神面前才有这样的信心。

5并不是我们凭自己能承担什么事；我们所能承担的，乃是出于 神。

6他叫我们能承当这新约的执事，不是凭着字句，乃是凭着精意；因为那字句是叫人死，精意是叫人活。

7那用字刻在石头上属死的职事尚且有荣光，甚至以色列人因摩西面上的荣光，不能定睛看他的脸；这荣光原是渐渐退去的，

8何况那属灵的职事岂不更有荣光吗？

9若是定罪的职事有荣光，那称义的职事荣光就越发大了。

10那从前有荣光的，因这极大的荣光就算不得有荣光了；

11若那废掉的有荣光，这长存的就更有荣光了。

12我们既有这样的盼望，就大胆讲说，

13不像摩西将帕子蒙在脸上，叫以色列人不能定睛看到那将废者的结局。

14但他们的心地刚硬，直到今日诵读旧约的时候，这帕子还没有揭去。这帕子在基督里已经废去了。

15然而直到今日，每逢诵读摩西书的时候，帕子还在他们心上。

16但他们的心几时归向主，帕子就几时除去了。

17主就是那灵；主的灵在哪里，那里就得以自由。

18我们众人既然敞着脸得以看见主的荣光，好像从镜子里返照，就变成主的形状，荣上加荣，如同从主的灵变成的。

1Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need (as some do) epistles of commendation to you, or from you?

2You are our epistle, written in our hearts, which is known and read by all men:

3Being manifested, that you are the epistle of Christ, ministered by us, and written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in the fleshly tables of the heart.

4And such confidence we have, through Christ, towards God.

5Not that we are sufficient to think any thing of ourselves, as of ourselves: but our sufficiency is from God.

6Who also hath made us fit ministers of the new testament, not in the letter, but in the spirit. For the letter killeth, but the spirit quickeneth.

7Now if the ministration of death, engraven with letters upon stones, was glorious; so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses, for the glory of his countenance, which is made void:

8How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather in glory?

9For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more the ministration of justice aboundeth in glory.

10For even that which was glorious in this part was not glorified, by reason of the glory that excelleth.

11For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is in glory.

12Having therefore such hope, we use much confidence:

13And not as Moses put a veil upon his face, that the children of Israel might not steadfastly look on the face of that which is made void.

14But their senses were made dull. For, until this present day, the selfsame veil, in the reading of the old testament, remaineth not taken away (because in Christ it is made void).

15But even until this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart.

16But when they shall be converted to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.

17Now the Lord is a Spirit. And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

18But we all beholding the glory of the Lord with open face, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord.