3:1 Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some [others], epistles of commendation to you, or [letters] of commendation from you?
3:1 Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as some others, epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you?

3:2 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
3:2 You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men;

3:3 [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.
3:3 clearly 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.

3:4 And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:
3:4 And we have such trust through Christ toward God.

3:5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency [is] of God;
3:5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God,

3:6 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.
3:6 who 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.

3:7 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:
3:7 But 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,

3:8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?
3:8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious?

3:9 For if the ministration of condemnation [be] glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
3:9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.

3:10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.
3:10 For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels.

3:11 For if that which is done away [was] glorious, much more that which remaineth [is] glorious.
3:11 For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious.

3:12 Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:
3:12 Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech--

3:13 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:
3:13 unlike 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.

3:14 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.
3:14 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 taken away in Christ.

3:15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
3:15 But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart.

3:16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
3:16 Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord [is], there [is] liberty.
3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

3:18 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.
3:18 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.