保羅的薦信
1難道我們又是在稱讚自己嗎？難道我們像別人一樣，需要拿著推薦信去見你們，或拿著你們的推薦信去見別人嗎？ 2你們自己就是我們的推薦信，寫在了我們心坎上，眾所周知，人人可讀。 3顯然，你們是從基督而來的一封信，是我們工作的成果。這信不是用筆墨寫成的，乃是藉著永活上帝的靈寫成的；不是寫在石版上的，而是刻在心版上的。
4我們靠著基督在上帝面前有這樣的確信。 5我們並不認為自己能夠承擔什麼，我們能夠承擔全是靠上帝。 6祂使我們能夠擔任新約的執事。這新約不是用律法條文立的，而是聖靈的工作，因為律法條文帶給人死亡，但聖靈賜給人生命。
新約的榮耀
7這最終帶來死亡、刻在石版上的律法條文的事工尚且有榮耀，甚至使摩西的臉上發出榮光，儘管很快就消逝了，以色列人仍然無法定睛看他， 8那麼聖靈的事工豈不更有榮耀嗎？ 9那定人罪的事工尚且有榮耀，這使人被稱為義人的事工豈不更有榮耀嗎？ 10其實先前的榮耀和現今的大榮耀相比，就黯然失色了。 11那漸漸消逝的尚且有榮耀，這永遠長存的更是榮耀無比。
12我們因為有這極大的盼望，就放膽無懼， 13不像摩西將帕子蒙在臉上，以免以色列人看見那漸漸消逝的榮光。 14但以色列人的心剛硬，直到今日，他們每逢讀舊約的時候，同樣的帕子還在那裡，沒有揭去。因為只有在基督裡，那帕子才能被除去。 15時至今日，每逢他們讀摩西律法的時候，帕子仍然蒙在他們心上。 16然而，他們一旦歸向基督，那帕子就被除去了。 17主就是那靈，主的靈在哪裡，哪裡就有自由。 18我們這些臉上不再蒙著帕子的人，可以像鏡子一樣反映主的榮光，漸漸變成主的樣式，榮上加榮。這都是主的作為，主就是那靈。
1Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? 2You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. 3You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
4Such confidence we have through Christ before God. 5Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. 6He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant – not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
The greater glory of the new covenant
7Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, transitory though it was, 8will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? 9If the ministry that brought condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! 10For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. 11And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!
12Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. 13We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. 14But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. 15Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. 16But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate3:18 Or reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
