| New King James Version | King James Bible |
| 1Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as some others, epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you? | 1Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you? |
| 2You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; | 2Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: |
| 3clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart. | 3Forasmuch 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. |
| 4And we have such trust through Christ toward God. | 4And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: |
| 5Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, | 5Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; |
| 6who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. | 6Who 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. |
| 7But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, | 7But 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: |
| 8how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? | 8How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? |
| 9For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. | 9For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. |
| 10For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. | 10For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. |
| 11For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious. | 11For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious. |
| 12Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech— | 12Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: |
| 13unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. | 13And 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: |
| 14But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. | 14But 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. |
| 15But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. | 15But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. |
| 16Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. | 16Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away. |
| 17Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. | 17Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. |
| 18But 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. | 18But 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. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com. |
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