1 Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you? 2 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: 3 Forasmuch 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.

4 And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: 5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; 6 Who 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. 7 But 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: 8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? 9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. 10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. 11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious. 12 Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: 13 And 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: 14 But 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. 15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. 16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away. 17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But 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.

1 难道我们又在自我推荐吗？难道我们像有些人， 要拿荐信给你们， 或向你们拿荐信吗？

2 你们就是我们的荐信， 写在我们的心里， 是众人所认识所诵读的，

3 显明你们自己是基督的书信， 是借着我们写成的， 不是用墨， 而是用永活 神的灵写的； 不是写在石版上， 而是写在心版上。

4 我们在 神面前， 借着基督才有这样的信心。

5 我们不敢以为自己有资格作什么， 我们所能够作的是出于 神。

6 他使我们有资格作新约的仆役， 这新约不是从仪文来的， 而是从圣灵来的； 因为仪文会使人死， 而圣灵却使人活。

7 如果那以文字刻在石上使人死的律法的工作， 尚且带有荣光， 以致以色列人因着摩西脸上短暂的荣光， 不能注视他的脸，

8 那出于圣灵的工作不是更有荣光吗？

9 如果那定人有罪的工作尚且有荣光， 那使人称义的工作就更有荣光了！

10 那从前有荣光的， 现在因那超越的荣光， 就算不得有荣光；

11 如果那短暂的有荣光， 那长存的就更有荣光了。

12 所以， 我们既然有这样的盼望， 就大大地放胆行事，

13 不像摩西那样， 把帕子蒙在脸上， 使以色列人看不见那短暂的荣光的结局。

14 但是他们的心思迟钝， 因为直到今日， 他们诵读旧约的时候， 这帕子仍然存在， 没有揭开， 唯有在基督里才能把这帕子废掉。

15 可是直到今日， 他们每逢诵读摩西的书的时候， 这帕子还盖在他们的心上。

16 但他们什么时候归向主， 这帕子就什么时候除掉了。

17 主就是那灵； 主的灵在哪里， 哪里就有自由。

18 我们众人脸上的帕子既然已经揭开， 反映主的荣光（"反映主的荣光"或译： "对着镜子看见主的荣光"）， 就变成主那样的形象， 大有荣光。这是主所作成的， 他就是那灵。