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.
Akhristu ndi Kalata Yochokera kwa Khristu
1Kodi tayambanso kudzichitira umboni tokha? Kapena kodi ifenso tikufuna makalata otivomereza kwa inu, kapena ochokera kwa inu monga anthu ena? 2Inu ndinu kalata yathu, yolembedwa pa mitima yathu, yodziwika ndi yowerengedwa ndi aliyense. 3Inu mukuonetsa kuti ndinu kalata yochokera kwa Khristu, zotsatira za utumiki wathu, osati yolembedwa ndi inki koma ndi Mzimu wa Mulungu wamoyo, osati pa miyala yosemedwa koma mʼmitima ya anthu.
4Kulimba mtima kumeneku tili nako pamaso pa Mulungu kudzera mwa Khristu. 5Sikuti mwa ife muli kanthu kotiganizitsa kuti tingathe kugwira ntchitoyi patokha, koma kulimba mtima kwathu kumachokera kwa Mulungu. 6Iye watipatsa kulimba mtima kuti tikhale atumiki a pangano latsopano, osati malamulo olembedwa koma a Mzimu; pakuti malamulo olembedwa amapha koma Mzimu amapereka moyo.
Ulemerero wa Pangano Latsopano
7Koma ngati utumiki umene unabweretsa imfa uja, wolembedwa ndi malemba pa mwalawu, unabwera ndi ulemerero mwakuti Aisraeli sanathe kuyangʼanitsitsa nkhope ya Mose chifukwa cha ulemerero wa pa nkhopeyo, ngakhale kuti unali kunka nuzilala, 8kodi nanga utumiki wa Mzimu sudzaposa apa? 9Ngati utumiki umene umatsutsa anthu unali ndi ulemerero, nanga koposa kotani ulemerero wa utumiki wobweretsa chilungamo! 10Pakuti zimene zinali ndi ulemerero, tsopano zilibenso ulemerero pofananitsa ndi ulemerero wopambanawo. 11Ndipo ngati zosakhalitsa zinabwera ndi ulemerero, koposa kotani ulemerero wamuyayawo!
12Choncho, popeza tili ndi chiyembekezo chotere, ndife olimba mtima kwambiri. 13Ife sitili ngati Mose amene amaphimba nkhope yake kuopa kuti Aisraeli angaone kuti kunyezimira kwa nkhope yake kumazilala. 14Koma nzeru zawo zinawumitsidwa, pakuti mpaka lero chophimbira chomwecho chikanalipo pamene akuwerenga Chipangano Chakale. Sichinachotsedwebe, chifukwa chimachotsedwa ngati munthuyo ali mwa Khristu yekha. 15Ngakhale lero lomwe lino akuwerenga mabuku a Mose pali chophimbabe mitima yawo. 16Koma pamene aliyense atembenukira kwa Ambuye, “chophimbacho chimachotsedwa.” 17Tsono Ambuye ndi Mzimu, ndipo pamene pali Mzimu wa Ambuye, pali ufulu. 18Ife tonse, amene ndi nkhope zosaphimba timaonetsera ulemerero wa Ambuye, tikusinthika kufanana ndi ulemerero wake, umene ukunka nuchulukirachulukira, wochokera kwa Ambuye, amene ndi Mzimu.
