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.

Chapter 4

Therefore seeing we have this ministration, according as we have obtained mercy, we faint not.

²But we renounce the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness nor adulterating the word of God: but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience, in the sight of God.

³And if our gospel be also hid, it is hid to them that are lost,

⁴In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of unbelievers, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not shine unto them.

⁵For we preach not ourselves, but Jesus Christ our Lord: and ourselves your servants through Jesus.

⁶For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Christ Jesus.

⁷But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency may be of the power of God and not of us.

⁸In all things we suffer tribulation: but are not distressed. We are straitened: but are not destitute.

⁹We suffer persecution: but are not forsaken. We are cast down: but we perish not.

¹⁰Always bearing about in our body the mortification of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be made manifest in our bodies.

¹¹For we who live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake: that the life also of Jesus may be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

¹²So then death worketh in us: but life in you.

¹³But having the same spirit of faith, as it is written: I believed, for which cause I have spoken; we also believe. For which cause we speak also:

¹⁴Knowing that he who raised up Jesus will raise us up also with Jesus and place us with you.

¹⁵For all things are for your sakes: that the grace, abounding through many, may abound in thanksgiving unto the glory of God.

¹⁶For which cause we faint not: but though our outward man is corrupted, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

¹⁷For that which is at present momentary and light of our tribulation worketh for us above measure, exceedingly an eternal weight of glory.

¹⁸While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal: but the things which are not seen, are eternal.

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