2 Corinthians 3:6
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Who 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. | And He has qualified us as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. | 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. |
In context
AI-assisted, sourced2 Corinthians 3:1-6Ministers of the new testament
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
Why this verse matters here"The letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." 2 Corinthians 3:6
Original Greek words
| English | Greek | Say it | Strong's | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| who | ὃς | hos | G3739 | whichὅς (hos, hē) ὅς, ἥ, ὅ, the postpositive article (ἄρθρον ὑποτακτικόν). I. As demonstr. pron. = οὗτος, ὅδε, this, that, also for αὐτός, chiefly in nom.: ὅς δέ, but he (cf. ἦ δὲ ὅς, frequently in Plat.), Mrk.15:23, Jhn.5:11; ὃς μὲν . . . ὃς δέ, the one . . . the other, Mat.21:35, 22:5, 25:15, Luk.23:33, Act.27:14, Rom.14:5, 1Co.11:21, 2Co.2:18, Ju 22; neut., ὃ μὲν . . . ὃ δέ, the one . . . the other, some . . . some, Mat.13:8, 23, Rom.9:21; ὃς (ὃ) μὲν . . . (ἄλλος (ἄλλο)) . . . ἕτερος, Mrk.4:4, Luk.8:5, 1Co.12:8-10; οὓς μέν, absol., 1Co.12:28; ὃς μὲν . . . ὁ δέ, Rom.14:2. … |
| also | καὶ | kai | G2532 | andκαί (kai) καί, conj., and I. Copulative. 1. Connecting single words; (a) in general: Mat.2:18, 16:1, Mrk.2:15, Luk.8:15, Heb.1:1, al. mult.; repeated before each of the terms in a series, Mat.23:23, Luk.14:21, Rom.7:12, 9:4, al. (b) connecting numerals (WM, §37, 4): Jhn.2:20, Act.13:20; (with) joining terms which are not mutually exclusive, as the part with the whole: Mat.8:33, 26:59, Mrk.16:17, Act.5:29, al. 2. Connecting clauses and sentences: Mat.3:12, Act.5:21, al. mult.; esp. … |
| has made competent | ἱκάνωσεν | hikanōsen | G2427 | to qualifyἱκανόω (hikanoō) ἱκανόω, -ῶ (ἱκανός), [in LXX chiefly for רַב ;] to make sufficient, render fit: with dupl. accusative, 2Co.3:6; with accusative of person(s) before εἰς, Col.1:12.† (AS) |
| us [as] | ἡμᾶς | hēmas | G3165 | meμέ (me) 1. apostrophe for με. 2. rarely for μοι, (Homer) (ML) |
| ministers | διακόνους | diakonous | G1249 | servantδιάκονος (diakonos) διάκονος, -ου, ὁ, ἡ (derivation unknown), [in LXX for נַעַר, שָׁרַת pi.: Est.6:3, 5, א B Est.1:10 2:2, Pro.10:4, 4Ma.9:17 * ;] 1. in general, a servant, attendant, minister: Mat.20:26 22:13 23:11, Mrk.9:35 10:43, Jhn.2:5, 9, 1Co.3:5, Gal.2:17, Eph.6:21, Col.4:7; δ. θεοῦ, Rom.13:4, 2Co.6:4, 1Th.3:2; δ. Χριστοῦ, 2Co.11:23, Col.1:7, 1Ti.4:6; cf. ὁ δ. ὁ ἐμός, Jhn.12:26; δ. περιτομῆς, Rom.15:8; δ. καινῆς διαθήκης, 2Co.3:6; δ. δικαιοσύνης, 2Co.11:15; δ. [εὐαγγελίου], Eph.3:7, Col.1:23; δ. [ἐκκλησίας], Col.1:25. … |
| of a new | καινῆς | kainēs | G2537 | newκαινός (kainos) καινός, -ή, -όν [in LXX (Eze.11:19, al.) for חָדָשׁ, exc. Isa.65:15 (אַחֵר) ;] of that which is unused or unaccustomed, new in respect to form or quality, fresh, unused, novel: opposite to παλαιός, ἀρχαῖος, Mat.9:17 13:52, Mrk.2:21-22 Luk.5:36, 38, 2Co.5:17, Eph.4:24; πλήρωμα, Mrk.2:21; μνημεῖον, Mat.27:60, Jhn.19:41; διαθήκη (T, WH, R, txt., omit), Luk.22:20, 1Co.11:25, 2Co.3:6, Heb.8:8" (LXX), Heb.8:13 9:15; οὐρανοί, γῆ, 2Pe.3:13, Rev.21:1" (LXX) Ἰερουσαλήμ, Rev.3:12 21:2; ἄνθρωπος, Eph.2:15 (cf. Eze.18:31); πάντα, Rev.21:5; γέννημα τ. ἀμπέλου, Mat.26:29, Mrk.14:25; διδαχή, Mrk.1:27, Act.1 … |
| covenant, | διαθήκης, | diathēkēs | G1242 | covenantδιαθήκη (diathēkē) διαθήκη, -ης, ἡ (διατίθημι), [frequently in LXX, and nearly always for בְּרִית ;] 1. as usually in cl., a disposition, testament, will (Plat., al.): Gal.3:15 (R, mg., but see Lft., in l.), Heb.9:16, 17 (R, txt.; MM, Exp., xi; Milligan, NTD, 75; Abbott, Essays, 107; Deiss., LAE, 341; but see infr.). … |
| not | οὐ | ou | G3756 | noοὐ (ou) οὐ, before a vowel with smooth breathing οὐκ, before one with rough breathing οὐχ (but improperly οὐχ ἰδού, Act.2:7, WH, mg.; cf. WH, Intr., §409; M, Pr., 44, 244), [in LXX for אֵין ,אַיִן ,לֹא ;] neg. particle, not, no, used generally with indic, and for a denial of fact (cf . μή); 1. absol. (accented), οὔ, no: Mat.13:29 Jhn.1:21 21:5; οὒ οὕ, Mat.5:37 Jas.5:12. … |
| of [the] letter | γράμματος | grammatos | G1121 | something writtenγράμμα (gramma) γράμμα, -τος, τό (γράφω), [in LXX for סֵפֶר, etc. ;] 1. that which is traced or drawn, a picture. 2. that which is written; (1) a character, letter: Gal.6:11; (2) a writing, a written document; (a) a bill or account: Luk.16:6, 7; (b) a letter: Act.28:21; (with) τὰ ἱερὰ γ., the sacred writings, i.e. the OT: 2Ti.3:15 (so in Philo, Vit. Mos., iii, 39) ; (d) τὸ γ., the letter, the written word as an external authority in contrast with the direct influence of the Spirit as manifested in the new Covenant: Rom.2:27, 29 7:6, 2Co.3:6, 7; … |
| but | ἀλλὰ | alla | G0235 | butἀλλά (alla) ἀλλά (ἀλλ᾽ usually bef. α and υ, often bef. ε and η, rarely bef. ο and ω, never bef. ι; Tdf., Pr., 93 f.; WH, App., 146), adversative particle, stronger than δέ; prop. neuter pl. of ἄλλος, used adverbially, with changed accent; hence prop. otherwise, on the other hand (cf. Rom.3:31); … |
| of [the] Spirit; | πνεύματος· | pneumatos | G4151G | spirit/breath: spiritπνεῦμα (pneuma) πνεῦμα, -τος, τό, [in LXX chiefly and very frequently for רוּחַ ;] 1. of air in motion; (a) wind: Jhn.3:8; pl., Heb.1:7 (LXX); (b) breath: π. ζωῆς, Rev.11:11; π. τοῦ στόματος, figuratively, 2Th.2:8 (cf. Ps 32 (33)6). … |
| for | γὰρ | gar | G1063 | forγάρ (gar) γάρ, co-ordinating particle, contr. of γε ἄρα, verily then, hence, in truth, indeed, yea, then, why, and when giving a reason or explanation, for, the usage in NT being in general accord with that of cl.; 1. explicative and epexegetic: Mat.4:18 19:12, Mrk.1:16 5:42 16:4, Luk.11:3o, Rom.7:1, 1Co.16:5, al. 2. Conclusive, in questions, answers and exclamations: Mat.9:5 27:23, Luk.9:25 22:27, Jhn.9:30, Act.8:31 16:37 19:35, Rom.15:26, 1Co.9:10, Php.1:18 (Ellic., in l.), 1Th.2:20, al. … |
| letter | γράμμα | gramma | G1121 | something writtenγράμμα (gramma) γράμμα, -τος, τό (γράφω), [in LXX for סֵפֶר, etc. ;] 1. that which is traced or drawn, a picture. 2. that which is written; (1) a character, letter: Gal.6:11; (2) a writing, a written document; (a) a bill or account: Luk.16:6, 7; (b) a letter: Act.28:21; (with) τὰ ἱερὰ γ., the sacred writings, i.e. the OT: 2Ti.3:15 (so in Philo, Vit. Mos., iii, 39) ; (d) τὸ γ., the letter, the written word as an external authority in contrast with the direct influence of the Spirit as manifested in the new Covenant: Rom.2:27, 29 7:6, 2Co.3:6, 7; … |
| kills, | ἀποκτέννει, | apoktennei | G0615 | to killἀποκτείνω (apokteinō) ἀπο-κτείνω (also in late forms -κτέννω, Mat.10:28, a1., LTTr., -κτεννύω, Mrk.12:5, WH), [in LXX for הָרַג, מוּת ;] to kill: Mat.14:5, al.; before instr. ἐν (which see), Eph.2:16, Rev.2:23, al. Metaphorical: Rom.7:11; τ. ἔχθραν, Eph.2:16; τὸ γράμμα ἀποκτείνει 2Co.3:6 (on the perfective force of this verb, see M, Pr., 114) (AS) |
| but | δὲ | de | G1161 | thenδέ (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.; … |
| the Spirit | πνεῦμα | pneuma | G4151G | spirit/breath: spiritπνεῦμα (pneuma) πνεῦμα, -τος, τό, [in LXX chiefly and very frequently for רוּחַ ;] 1. of air in motion; (a) wind: Jhn.3:8; pl., Heb.1:7 (LXX); (b) breath: π. ζωῆς, Rev.11:11; π. τοῦ στόματος, figuratively, 2Th.2:8 (cf. Ps 32 (33)6). … |
| gives life. | ζῳοποιεῖ. | zōopoiei | G2227 | to make aliveζωοποιέω (zōopoieō) ζωο-ποιέω, ῶ [in LXX for חָיָה pi., hi., Jdg.21:14, 4Ki.5:7, Neh.9:6, Job.36:6, Psa.70:20, Ecc.7:12 * ;] 1. in cl. (= ζωογονέω), to produce alive. 2. In LXX and NT, to make alive, cause to live, quicken (DCG, ii, 606a; Cremer, 275): Jhn.5:21 6:53, Rom.4:17 8:11, 1Co.15:45, 2Co.3:6, Gal.3:21. Pass., 1Co.15:22 15:36, 1Pe.3:18.† (AS) |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.