2 Corinthians 3

2 Corinthians · Chapter 3

2 Corinthians 3:16

1Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?2Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:3Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the 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 fleshy tables of the heart.4And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: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 stedfastly 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.12Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:13And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:14But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.15But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.16Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.17Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.18But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the LORD.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
16Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.But whensoever it shall turn to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

2 Corinthians 3:12-18The vail taken away

About 2 Corinthians 3Paul needs no letters of commendation, for the Corinthians are "our epistle written in our hearts," written "not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God." God has made them "able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life," and if the old ministry had glory, the ministry of the Spirit has more. Moses put a vail over his face, and a vail still lies on hearts until "it shall turn to the Lord," but "where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty," and we are "changed into the same image from glory to glory." 2 Corinthians 3:12 Corinthians 3:22 Corinthians 3:32 Corinthians 3:62 Corinthians 3:72 Corinthians 3:82 Corinthians 3:132 Corinthians 3:152 Corinthians 3:162 Corinthians 3:172 Corinthians 3:18

Who, where and when in this chapter

Original Greek words

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
WhenἡνίκαhēnikaG2259
when

ἡνίκα (hēnika) ἡνίκα rel. adv. of time, at which time, when; before αν, with subjc., whensoever: 2Co.3:15-16.† (AS)

howeverδὲdeG1161
then

δέ (de) δέ (before vowels δ᾽; on the general neglect of the elision in NT, see WH, App., 146; Tdf., Pr., 96), post-positive conjunctive particle; 1. copulative, but, in the next place, and, now (Abbott, JG, 104): Mat.1:2ff., 2Co.6:15, 16, 2Pe.1:5-7; in repetition for emphasis, Rom.3:21, 22, 9:30, 1Co.2:6, Gal.2:2, Php.2:8; in transition to something new, Mat.1:18, 2:19, Luk.13:1, Jhn.7:14, Act.6:1, Rom.8:28, 1Co.7:1 8:1, al.; in explanatory parenthesis or addition, Jhn.3:19, Rom.5:8, 1Co.1:12, Eph.2:4, 5:32, al.; ὡς δέ, Jhn.2:9; καὶ . . . δέ, but also, Mat.10:18, Luk.1:76, Jhn.6:51, Rom.11:23, al.; …

everἐὰνeanG1437
if

ἐάν (ean) ἐάν, contr. fr. εἰ ἄν, conditional particle, representing something as "under certain circumstances actual or liable to happen," but not so definitely expected as in the case of εἰ with ind. (Bl., §65, 4; cf. Jhn.13:17, 1Co.7:36), if haply, if; 1. with subjc. (cl.); (a) pres.: Mat.6:22, Luk.10:6, Jhn.7:17, Rom.2:25, 26 al.; { (b) aor. (= Lat. fut. pf.): Mat.4:9 16:26 (cf. ptcp. in Luk.9:25; M, Pr., 230), Mrk.3:24, Luk.14:34, Jhn.5:43, Rom.7:2, al.; = cl. εἰ, with opt., Jhn.9:22 11:57, Act.9:2; as Heb. אִם = ὅταν, Jhn.12:32 14:3, I Jhn.2:28 3:2, Heb.3:7" (LXX) . …

[one] shall have turnedἐπιστρέψῃepistrepsēG1994
to turn

ἐπιστρέφω (epistrephō) ἐπι-στρέφω [very frequently in LXX, chiefly for שׁוּב, in its various senses, also for פָּנָה, etc. ;] 1. trans., to turn about, round or towards, hence metaphorically, to turn, cause to return (to God, virtue, etc.): Luk.1:16-17 (cf. Mal.3:24), Jas.5:19-20. 2. Intrans., …

toπρὸςprosG4314
to/with

πρός (pros) πρός, prep. with genitive, dative, accusative I. I. C. genitive, of motion from a place, from the side of, hence metaphorically, in the interests of, Act.27:34 (cf. Page, in l.). II. II. C. dative, of local proximity, hard by, near, at: Mrk.5:11, Luk.19:37, Jhn.18:16 20:11, 12 Rev.1:13. III. C. accusative, of motion or direction towards a place or object, to, towards. 1. Of place, …

[the] Lord,κύριον,kurionG2962G
lord: God

κύριος (kurios) κύριος, -α, -ον (also -ος, -ον), [in LXX (subst.) chiefly for יהוה, also for בַּעַל ,אָדוֹן, etc. ;] having power (κῦρος) or authority; as subst., ὁ κ., lord, master; 1. in general: with genitive of thing(s), Mat.9:38 20:8, Mrk.12:9 13:35, Luk.19:33; τ. σαββάτου, Mat.12:8, Mrk.2:28, Luk.6:5; with genitive of person(s), δούλου, etc., Mat.10:24, Luk.14:21, Act.16:16, al.; absol, opposite to οἱ δοῦλοι, Eph.6:5, 9 al.; of the Emperor (Deiss., LAE, 161), Act.25:26; θεοὶ πολλοὶ καὶ κ. πολλοί, 1Co.8:5; of a husband, 1Pe.3:6; in voc, as a title of respect to masters, teachers, magistrates, etc., Ma …

is taken awayπεριαιρεῖταιperiaireitaiG4014
to take away

περιαιρέω (periaireō) περι-αιρέω, -ῶ [in LXX chiefly for סוּר hi. ;] to take away that which surrounds, take away, take off (τείχη, Hdt., Thuc.; χιτῶνα, Plat.; δακτύλιον, Gen.41:42, cf. σφρηγῖδα, Hdt., ii, 151) : τ. κάλυΜΜα, pass., 2Co.3:16; as nautical term (RV, cast off), ἀγκύρας, Act.27:40; absol., to cast loose: Act.28:13. Metaphorical, to take away entirely: ἐλπίς, pass., Act.27:20; ἁμαρτίας, Heb.10:11.† (AS)

veil.κάλυμμα.kalummaG2571
veil

κάλυμμα (kalumma) κάλυμμα, -τος, τό (καλύπτω), [in LXX: Num.3:25 4:8 ff. (מְכַסֶּה), Exo_34:33 ff. (מַסְוֶה), etc. ;] a covering, veil: 2Co.3:13-16 † (AS)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.