2 Corinthians 3

1Are we starting to praise ourselves again? Or do we need letters of recommendation to you, or from you, as some people do?

2You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone.

3You clearly show that you are a letter from Christ! We helped deliver this living letter to the world. It was not written using messy pen and ink. The Spirit of the living God wrote it! It was not carved into hard stone tablets. It was engraved directly on human hearts!

4We have this confidence before God through Christ.

5Not that we are able by ourselves to claim that anything comes from us. Our ability comes from God.

6He has made us able to be servants of a new agreement, not of the written law, but of the Spirit. For the written law kills, but the Spirit gives life.

7The old Law was carved in letters on stone. That Law brought death, yet it arrived with shining glory! Moses' face beamed so brightly the Israelites could not look at him. Yet that shining glory was already fading away.

8How much more glorious is the work of the Holy Spirit!

9The old Law condemned people to death. The new agreement makes people completely right with God!

10In fact, what was once glorious has no glory now, compared with the far greater glory.

11And if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of what lasts!

12So, since we have such a hope, we are very bold.

13We are not like Moses. Moses put a cloth veil over his face. He did this so the people would not watch the glory fade away.

14Even today, their stubborn minds remain covered. Only Christ can tear that heavy veil away.

15Whenever they read the Old Testament Law, that veil covers their hearts!

16Whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil disappears!

17Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

18Our faces are completely uncovered! All of us reflect the dazzling glory of the Lord. The Lord, who is the Spirit, is transforming us. He is changing us to look just like Christ! He fills us with brighter and brighter glory!