2 Corinthians 3:1-6

Expanded Bible

Servants of the New Agreement

3 Are we starting to ·brag about [praise; commend] ourselves again? Do we need letters of ·introduction [recommendation] to you or from you, like some other people [^CPaul’s opponents evidently carried letters of reference (perhaps from Jerusalem)]? ² You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone [^Cthe changed lives of the Corinthians prove Paul’s credibility as an apostle of Jesus Christ]. ³ You show that you are a letter from Christ ·sent through us [delivered by us; or produced by us; the result of our ministry]. This letter is not written with ink but ·with [by] the Spirit of the living God. It is not written on stone tablets [^Cthe law of Moses was written on stone tablets; Ex. 24:12; 32:16] but on human hearts [^Lhearts of flesh; Jer. 31:33; Ezek. 11:19; 36:26].

⁴ We can say this, because through Christ we ·feel certain before God [have confidence in God’s presence; or can trust in God]. ⁵ We are not saying that we ·can do this work ourselves [^Lare able/competent/adequate to consider anything as from ourselves]. ·It is God who makes us able to do all that we do [^LBut our ability/competence/adequacy is from God]. ⁶ He made us ·able [adequate; competent] to be servants of a new ·agreement from himself to his people [covenant; Jer. 31:31–34; Luke 22:20]. This new ·agreement [covenant] is not ·a written law [^Lof the letter], but it is of the Spirit. The ·written law [^Lletter] brings death, but the Spirit gives life.