3:1 Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? or need we, as do some, epistles of commendation to you or from you?

3:2 Ye are our epistle, written in our hearts, known and read of all men;

3:3 being made manifest that ye are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in tables [that are] hearts of flesh.

3:4 And such confidence have we through Christ to God-ward:

3:5 not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God;

3:6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

3:7 But if the ministration of death, written, [and] engraven on stones, came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look stedfastly upon the face of Moses for the glory of his face; which [glory] was passing away:

3:8 how shall not rather the ministration of the spirit be with glory?

3:9 For if the ministration of condemnation hath glory, much rather doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.

3:10 For verily that which hath been made glorious hath not been made glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasseth.

3:11 For if that which passeth away [was] with glory, much more that which remaineth [is] in glory.

3:12 Having therefore such a hope, we use great boldness of speech,

3:13 and [are] not as Moses, [who] put a veil upon his face, that the children of Israel should not look stedfastly on the end of that which was passing away:

3:14 but their minds were hardened: for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remaineth, it not being revealed [to them] that it is done away in Christ.

3:15 But unto this day, whensoever Moses is read, a veil lieth upon their heart.

3:16 But whensoever it shall turn to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, [there] is liberty.