1 Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or do we need, as some, commendatory letters to you, or {commendatory} from you?2 *Ye* are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read of all men,3 being manifested to be Christ's epistle ministered by us, written, not with ink, but {the} Spirit of {the} living God; not on stone tables, but on fleshy tables of {the} heart.4 And such confidence have we through the Christ towards God:5 not that we are competent of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, but our competency {is} of God;6 who has also made us competent, {as} ministers of {the} new covenant; not of letter, but of spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit quickens.7 (But if the ministry of death, in letters, graven in stones, began with glory, so that the children of Israel could not fix their eyes on the face of Moses, on account of the glory of his face, {a glory} which is annulled;8 how shall not rather the ministry of the Spirit subsist in glory?9 For if the ministry of condemnation {be} glory, much rather the ministry of righteousness abounds in glory.10 For also that {which was} glorified is not glorified in this respect, on account of the surpassing glory.11 For if that annulled {was introduced} with glory, much rather that which abides {subsists} in glory.12 Having therefore such hope, we use much boldness:13 and not according as Moses put a veil on his own face, so that the children of Israel should not fix their eyes on the end of that annulled.14 But their thoughts have been darkened, for unto this day the same veil remains in reading the old covenant, unremoved, which in Christ is annulled.15 But unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil lies upon their heart.16 But when it shall turn to {the} Lord, the veil is taken away.)17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, but where the Spirit of {the} Lord {is, there is} liberty.18 But *we* all, looking on the glory of the Lord, with unveiled face, are transformed according to the same image from glory to glory, even as by {the} Lord {the} Spirit.

1 Begin ons weer om onsself aan te beveel? Of het ons miskien, soos sommige, aanbevelingsbriewe nodig aan julle of van julle?2 Julle is ons brief, geskrywe in ons harte, geken en gelees deur alle mense;3 omdat julle duidelik 'n brief van Christus is deur ons diens berei, geskrywe nie met ink nie, maar met die Gees van die lewende God; nie op kliptafels nie, maar op die vleestafels van die hart.4 So 'n vertroue het ons deur Christus by God.5 Nie dat ons uit onsself bekwaam is om iets as uit onsself te bedink nie, maar ons bekwaamheid is uit God,6 wat ons ook bekwaam gemaak het as dienaars van 'n nuwe testament, nie van die letter nie, maar van die gees; want die letter maak dood, maar die gees maak lewend.7 En as die bediening van die dood, met letters op klippe gegraveer, in heerlikheid was, sodat die kinders van Israel nie die oë kon vestig op die aangesig van Moses nie vanweë die heerlikheid van sy aangesig, wat tog moes vergaan,8 hoeveel te meer sal die bediening van die Gees dan nie in heerlikheid wees nie?9 Want as die bediening wat veroordeel, heerlikheid was, veel meer is die bediening wat regverdig maak, oorvloedig in heerlikheid.10 Want wat verheerlik was, is ook in hierdie geval nie verheerlik nie, vanweë die alles oortreffende heerlikheid.11 Want as wat moes vergaan, met heerlikheid was, veel meer is wat moet bly, in heerlikheid.12 Terwyl ons dan sodanige hoop het, gebruik ons baie vrymoedigheid;13 nie soos Moses nie, wat 'n bedekking oor sy aangesig gesit het, sodat die kinders van Israel nie die oë kon vestig op die einde van wat moes vergaan nie.14 Maar hulle sinne is verhard. Want tot vandag toe bly by die lesing van die Ou Testament dieselfde bedekking sonder dat dit opgelig word, die bedekking wat in Christus vernietig word.15 Ja, tot vandag toe, wanneer Moses gelees word, lê daar 'n bedekking oor hulle hart;16 maar wanneer hulle tot die Here bekeer is, word die bedekking weggeneem.17 Die Here is die Gees, en waar die Gees van die Here is, daar is vryheid.18 En terwyl ons almal met onbedekte gesig soos in 'n spieël die heerlikheid van die Here aanskou, word ons van gedaante verander na dieselfde beeld, van heerlikheid tot heerlikheid, as deur die Here wat die Gees is.