1 Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as do some, letters of commendation to you or from you? 2 You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men, 3 being revealed that you are a letter of Christ, served by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tablets of stone, but in tablets that are hearts of flesh.

4 Such confidence we have through Christ toward God, 5 not that we are sufficient of ourselves to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God, 6 who also made us sufficient as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

7 But if the service of death, written engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look steadfastly on the face of Moses for the glory of his face, which was passing away, 8 won’t service of the Spirit be with much more glory? 9 For if the service of condemnation has glory, the service of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. 10 For most certainly that which has been made glorious has not been made glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasses. 11 For if that which passes away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory.

12 Having therefore such a hope, we use great boldness of speech, 13 and not as Moses, who put a veil on his face so that the children of Israel wouldn’t look steadfastly on the end of that which was passing away. 14 But their minds were hardened, for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains, because in Christ it passes away. 15 But to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. 16 But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face seeing the glory of the Lord as in a mirror, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit.

1 Kas peame hakkama jälle ennast kiitma? Või kas vajame nagu mõned inimesed soovituskirju teie jaoks või teie käest? 2 Teie oletegi meie kiri, kirjutatud meie südamesse, kõigile inimestele arusaadav ja loetav. 3 Teist on avalikult näha, et te olete Kristuse kiri, meie teenistuse tulemus, kirjutatud mitte tindiga, vaid elava Jumala Vaimuga, mitte kivitahvlitele, vaid inimsüdametesse.

4 Selline usaldus Jumala vastu on meil aga Kristuse kaudu. 5 Me ei ole väärt kirjutama midagi enda arvele. Meie väärilisus tuleb Jumalalt. 6 Tema teeb meid vääriliseks teenima uut lepingut, mitte kirjatähte, vaid Vaimu lepingut, sest kirjatäht surmab, aga Vaim teeb elavaks.

7 Aga kui teenistus, mis tõi surma ja raiuti tähtedega kivisse, tuli säärases auhiilguses, et Iisraeli rahvas ei suutnud hoida pilku Moosese näol, mis ometi oli kaduv, 8 kui suure hiilgusega on siis Vaimu teenistus? 9 Kui süüdimõistmise toonud teenistuselgi oli hiilgus, siis kui palju kirkam on see teenistus, mis toob õiguse? 10 Tõepoolest, kunagine hiilgus on kaotanud oma sära selle ületava kirkuse tõttu! 11 Ja kui see, mis on ajutine, on tulnud auhiilguses, kui palju enam on kirkuses see, mis jääb püsima.

12 Et meil on selline lootus, siis me räägime täie julgusega. 13 Me ei pea tegema nagu Mooses, kes kattis looriga kinni oma palge, et Iisraeli rahvas ei näeks selle mööduva hiilguse lõppu. 14 Aga nende mõtteviis on kivistunud, ja kuni tänase päevani on neil Vana Testamendi lugemise peal kate. Seda ei kergitata, sest see eemaldatakse alles Kristuses. 15 Tänase päevani, kui Moosest loetakse, on nende südamed kaetud. 16 Aga kui nende süda pöördub Issanda poole, siis võetakse kate ära. 17 Sest Issand on Vaim, ja kus on Issanda Vaim, seal on vabadus! 18 Aga meid kõiki, kes me katmata näoga Issanda kirkust peegeldame, muudetakse tema sarnaseks kirkusest kirkusesse. Seda teeb Issand, kes on Vaim.