1Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or from you? (徒18:27; 林前16:3; 林后5:12; 林后10:12; 林后11:4; 林后12:11)2You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our[1] hearts, to be known and read by all. (林前9:2)3And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.[2] (出24:12; 箴3:3; 箴7:3; 耶17:1; 耶31:33; 结11:19; 结36:26; 太16:16; 來8:10)4Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. (弗3:12)5Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, (林前15:10; 弗2:8)6who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. (耶31:31; 路22:20; 约6:63; 羅2:27; 羅8:2; 林前11:25; 林后3:14; 林后4:1; 林后5:18; 弗3:7; 西1:23; 西1:25; 提前1:12; 來8:8; 來8:13; 來9:15)7Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, (出34:29; 羅4:15; 林后3:9; 林后3:13)8will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory?9For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. (林后3:7; 林后11:15; 來12:18)10Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it.11For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory.12Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, (林后7:4; 弗6:19)13not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. (林后3:7)14But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. (可6:52; 徒13:15; 徒15:21; 羅11:25; 林后3:6; 林后4:4)15Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts.16But when one[3] turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. (出34:34; 赛25:7; 羅11:23)17Now the Lord[4] is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. (赛61:1; 约8:32; 加4:6; 加5:1; 加5:13)18And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord,[5] are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.[6] For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. (诗84:7; 约17:24; 羅8:29; 林前13:12; 林前15:49; 林后4:4; 林后4:6; 提前1:11)