1 Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or letters of recommendation from you? 2 You yourselves are our letter, having been written in our hearts, being known and being read by all men; 3 being made known that you are the letter of Christ, which was ministered by us, having been written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not in tablets of stone but in tablets of flesh, namely in hearts.

4 And we have such trust through Christ toward God. 5 Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to consider anything as from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, 6 who also has made us efficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit makes alive.

7 Now if the ministry of death, having been engraved in letters on stones, came to be with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look intently into the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, the glory which was passing away, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness exceed in glory. 10 For even that which has been glorified has not been glorified in this respect, because of the surpassing glory. 11 For if that which fades away was glorious, then that which remains is much more glorious.

12 Therefore, having such hope, we use great boldness of speech— 13 and not as Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the end of what was fading away. 14 But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is removed in Christ. 15 But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. 16 But whenever one 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 freedom. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.