2 Corinthians 3:7 “Now if the ministry of death, which was engraved in letters on stone,…”

2 Corinthians 3:7

Now if the ministry of death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at the face of Moses because of its fleeting glory,

Berean Standard Bible

Other translations

King James Version

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:

World English Bible

But if the service of death, written engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look steadfastly on the face of Moses for the glory of his face, which was passing away,

American Standard Version

But if the ministration of death, written, and engraven on stones, came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look stedfastly upon the face of Moses for the glory of his face; which glory was passing away:

Geneva Bible 1599

If then the ministration of death written with letters and ingrauen in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel coulde not beholde the face of Moses, for the glorie of his countenance (which glorie is done away.)

Darby Translation

(But if the ministry of death, in letters, graven in stones, began with glory, so that the children of Israel could not fix their eyes on the face of Moses, on account of the glory of his face, [a glory] which is annulled;

Young's Literal Translation

and if the ministration of the death, in letters, engraved in stones, came in glory, so that the sons of Israel were not able to look stedfastly to the face of Moses, because of the glory of his face — which was being made useless,

Bible in Basic English

For if the operation of the law, giving death, recorded in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the eyes of the children of Israel had to be turned away from the face of Moses because of its glory, a glory which was only for a time:

.mt-body { max-height: none !important; -webkit-mask-image: none !important; mask-image: none !important; } .mt-bar { display: none !important; } .o-trans::after { display: block !important; }

Cross references

“the ministration”

2 Corinthians 3:6 Romans 7:10 2 Corinthians 3:9

2 Corinthians 3:6 · BSB

And He has qualified us as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Romans 7:10 · BSB

So I discovered that the very commandment that was meant to bring life actually brought death.

2 Corinthians 3:9 · BSB

For if the ministry of condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry of righteousness!

“written”

Exodus 31:18 2 Corinthians 3:3 Exodus 24:12 Deuteronomy 10:1–4 Deuteronomy 9:9–11 Deuteronomy 9:15

Exodus 31:18 · BSB

When the LORD had finished speaking with Moses on Mount Sinai, He gave him the two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God.

2 Corinthians 3:3 · BSB

It is clear 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.

Exodus 24:12 · BSB

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain and stay here, so that I may give you the tablets of stone, with the law and commandments I have written for their instruction.”

Deuteronomy 10:1–4 · BSB

At that time the LORD said to me, “Chisel out two stone tablets like the originals, come up to Me on the mountain, and make an ark of wood.

Deuteronomy 9:9–11 · BSB

When I went up on the mountain to receive the tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant that the LORD made with you, I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights. I ate no bread and drank no water.

Deuteronomy 9:15 · BSB

So I went back down the mountain while it was blazing with fire, with the two tablets of the covenant in my hands.

“was”

Psalm 119:97 Psalm 119:174 Romans 7:22 Genesis 3:21 Deuteronomy 4:8 Nehemiah 9:13

Psalm 119:97 · BSB

Oh, how I love Your law! All day long it is my meditation.

Psalm 119:174 · BSB

I long for Your salvation, O LORD, and Your law is my delight.

Romans 7:22 · BSB

For in my inner being I delight in God’s law.

Genesis 3:21 · BSB

And the LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and He clothed them.

Deuteronomy 4:8 · BSB

And what nation is great enough to have righteous statutes and ordinances like this entire law I set before you today?

Nehemiah 9:13 · BSB

You came down on Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven. You gave them just ordinances, true laws, and good statutes and commandments.

“that”

Luke 9:29–31 Acts 6:15 Exodus 34:29–35

Luke 9:29–31 · BSB

And as He was praying, the appearance of His face changed, and His clothes became radiantly white.

Acts 6:15 · BSB

All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

Exodus 34:29–35 · BSB

And when Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was unaware that his face had become radiant from speaking with the LORD.

“which”

Romans 10:4 1 Corinthians 13:10 2 Corinthians 3:10 2 Corinthians 3:11 2 Corinthians 3:14

Romans 10:4 · BSB

For Christ is the end of the law, to bring righteousness to everyone who believes.

1 Corinthians 13:10 · BSB

but when the perfect comes, the partial passes away.

2 Corinthians 3:10 · BSB

Indeed, what was once glorious has no glory now in comparison to the glory that surpasses it.

2 Corinthians 3:11 · BSB

For if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which endures!

2 Corinthians 3:14 · BSB

But their minds were closed. For to this day the same veil remains at the reading of the old covenant. It has not been lifted, because only in Christ can it be removed.

Also

2 Corinthians 3:13–14 Romans 4:15

2 Corinthians 3:13–14 · BSB

We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at the end of what was fading away.

Romans 4:15 · BSB

because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law, there is no transgression.

Cross references adapted from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0) and the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

In context

6And He has qualified us as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

8will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious?

Read 2 Corinthians 3