Πρὸς Κορινθίους Βʹ

2 Corinthians — Chapter 3

Read 2 Corinthians Chapter 3 in the original Greek alongside the King James Version (KJV) — 18 verses. Koine Greek text with full English translation.

Ἀρχόμεθα πάλιν ἑαυτοὺς συνιστάνειν; Εἰ μὴ χρῄζομεν, ὥς τινες, συστατικῶν ἐπιστολῶν πρὸς ὑμᾶς, ἢ ἐξ ὑμῶν συστατικῶν;

KJVDo we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?

Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you?

Ἡ ἐπιστολὴ ἡμῶν ὑμεῖς ἐστέ, ἐγγεγραμμένη ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ἡμῶν, γινωσκομένη καὶ ἀναγινωσκομένη ὑπὸ πάντων ἀνθρώπων·

KJVYe are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:

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

φανερούμενοι ὅτι ἐστὲ ἐπιστολὴ Χριστοῦ διακονηθεῖσα ὑφ' ἡμῶν, ἐγγεγραμμένη οὐ μέλανι, ἀλλὰ Πνεύματι Θεοῦ ζῶντος, οὐκ ἐν πλαξὶν λιθίναις, ἀλλ' ἐν πλαξὶν καρδίαις σαρκίναις.

KJVForasmuch 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.

You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

Πεποίθησιν δὲ τοιαύτην ἔχομεν διὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ πρὸς τὸν Θεόν·

KJVAnd such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:

Such confidence we have through Christ before God.

οὐχ ὅτι ἱκανοί ἐσμεν ἀφ' ἑαυτῶν λογίσασθαί τι ὡς ἐξ ἑαυτῶν, ἀλλ' ἡ ἱκανότης ἡμῶν ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ·

KJVNot that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;

Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.

ὃς καὶ ἱκάνωσεν ἡμᾶς διακόνους καινῆς διαθήκης, οὐ γράμματος ἀλλὰ Πνεύματος· τὸ γὰρ γράμμα ἀποκτένει, τὸ δὲ Πνεῦμα ζῳοποιεῖ.

KJVWho 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.

He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant — not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Εἰ δὲ ἡ διακονία τοῦ θανάτου ἐν γράμμασιν, ἐντετυπωμένη ἐν λίθοις, ἐγενήθη ἐν δόξῃ, ὥστε μὴ δύνασθαι ἀτενίσαι τοὺς υἱοὺς Ἰσραὴλ εἰς τὸ πρόσωπον Μωϋσέως διὰ τὴν δόξαν τοῦ προσώπου αὐτοῦ, τὴν καταργουμένην,

KJVBut 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:

Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, transitory though it was,

πῶς οὐχὶ μᾶλλον ἡ διακονία τοῦ Πνεύματος ἔσται ἐν δόξῃ;

KJVHow shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?

will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious?

Εἰ γὰρ ἡ διακονία τῆς κατακρίσεως δόξα, πολλῷ μᾶλλον περισσεύει ἡ διακονία τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἐν δόξῃ.

KJVFor if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.

If the ministry that brought condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness!

Καὶ γὰρ οὐ δεδόξασται τὸ δεδοξασμένον ἐν τούτῳ τῷ μέρει, ἕνεκεν τῆς ὑπερβαλλούσης δόξης.

KJVFor even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.

For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory.

Εἰ γὰρ τὸ καταργούμενον, διὰ δόξης, πολλῷ μᾶλλον τὸ μένον, ἐν δόξῃ.

KJVFor if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.

And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!

Ἔχοντες οὖν τοιαύτην ἐλπίδα, πολλῇ παρρησίᾳ χρώμεθα·

KJVSeeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:

Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold.

καὶ οὐ καθάπερ Μωϋσῆς ἐτίθει κάλυμμα ἐπὶ τὸ πρόσωπον ἑαυτοῦ, πρὸς τὸ μὴ ἀτενίσαι τοὺς υἱοὺς Ἰσραὴλ εἰς τὸ τέλος τοῦ καταργουμένου·

KJVAnd 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:

We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away.

ἀλλ' ἐπωρώθη τὰ νοήματα αὐτῶν· ἄχρι γὰρ τῆς σήμερον τὸ αὐτὸ κάλυμμα ἐπὶ τῇ ἀναγνώσει τῆς παλαιᾶς διαθήκης μένει μὴ ἀνακαλυπτόμενον, ὅ τι ἐν Χριστῷ καταργεῖται.

KJVBut 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.

But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away.

Ἀλλ' ἕως σήμερον, ἡνίκα ἀναγινώσκεται Μωϋσῆς, κάλυμμα ἐπὶ τὴν καρδίαν αὐτῶν κεῖται.

KJVBut even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.

Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts.

Ἡνίκα δ' ἂν ἐπιστρέψῃ πρὸς Κύριον, περιαιρεῖται τὸ κάλυμμα.

KJVNevertheless 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.

ὁ δὲ Κύριος τὸ Πνεῦμά ἐστιν· οὗ δὲ τὸ Πνεῦμα Κυρίου, ἐκεῖ ἐλευθερία.

KJVNow the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

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

Ἡμεῖς δὲ πάντες, ἀνακεκαλυμμένῳ προσώπῳ τὴν δόξαν Κυρίου κατοπτριζόμενοι, τὴν αὐτὴν εἰκόνα μεταμορφούμεθα ἀπὸ δόξης εἰς δόξαν, καθάπερ ἀπὸ Κυρίου Πνεύματος.

KJVBut 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.

And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.