God's New Agreement
1 Are we once again bragging about ourselves? Do we need letters to you or from you to tell others about us? Some people do need letters telling about them. 2 But you are our letter, and you are in our hearts for everyone to read and understand. 3 You are like a letter written by Christ and delivered by us. But you are not written with pen and ink or on tablets made of stone. You are written in our hearts by the Spirit of the living God.
4 We are sure about all this. Christ makes us sure in the very presence of God. 5 We don't have the right to claim that we have done anything on our own. God gives us what it takes to do all we do. 6 He makes us worthy to be the servants of his new agreement that comes from the Holy Spirit and not from a written Law. After all, the Law brings death, but the Spirit brings life.
7 The Law of Moses brought only the promise of death, even though it was carved on stones and given in a wonderful way. Still the Law made Moses' face shine so brightly the people of Israel could not look at it, even though it was a fading glory. 8 So won't the agreement the Spirit brings to us be even more wonderful? 9 If something that brings the death sentence is glorious, won't something that makes us acceptable to God be even more glorious? 10 In fact, the new agreement is so wonderful that the Law is no longer glorious at all. 11 The Law was given with a glory that faded away. But the glory of the new agreement is much greater, because it will never fade away.
12 This wonderful hope makes us feel like speaking freely. 13 We are not like Moses. His face was shining, but he covered it to keep the people of Israel from seeing the brightness fade away. 14 The people were stubborn, and something still keeps them from seeing the truth when the Law is read. Only Christ can take away the covering that keeps them from seeing.
15 When the Law of Moses is read, they have their minds covered over 16 with a covering that is removed only for those who turn to the Lord. 17 The Lord and the Spirit are one and the same, and the Lord's Spirit sets us free. 18 So our faces are not covered. They show the bright glory of the Lord, as the Lord's Spirit makes us more and more like our glorious Lord.
Jaunās Derības kalpošana
1 Vai tad sāksim sevi atkal ieteikt? Vai tad mums kā dažiem ir vajadzīgas ieteikuma vēstules jums vai no jums? 2 Jūs esat šī mūsu vēstule, kas ierakstīta mūsu sirdīs, to saprot un lasa visi cilvēki. 3 Kļūst redzams, ka jūs esat Kristus vēstule, kas ar mūsu kalpošanu uzrakstīta – nevis ar tinti, bet ar dzīvā Dieva Garu, nevis uz akmens plāksnēm, bet uz cilvēka sirds plāksnēm. 4 Tik liela pārliecība uz Dievu mums ir caur Kristu. 5 Ne tādēļ, ka mēs paši no sevis būtu spējīgi kaut ko izspriest, bet mūsu spējas ir no Dieva, 6 kas mūs darījis spējīgus būt par jaunās derības kalpiem – nevis burta, bet Gara kalpiem, jo burts nokauj, bet Gars dara dzīvu. 7 Ja jau ar akmenī iekaltām burtu zīmēm nāves kalpošana kļuva tik spoža savā godībā, ka Israēla dēli nevarēja uzlūkot Mozu vaigā tā spožuma dēļ, kas arī izzuda, 8 vai tad Gara kalpošana nebūs daudz lielāka godībā? 9 Ja jau kalpošanai, kas notiesā, ir godība, cik daudz vairāk godības ir taisnības kalpošanai. 10 Tas, kas reiz bija godības pilns, vairs tik ļoti nemirdz daudzkārt lielāka godības spožuma dēļ. 11 Ja jau izzūdošajam ir godības spožums, cik daudz lielāks spožums tam, kas paliek godībā. 12 Būdami tik lielā cerībā, mēs esam brīvi un pilni paļāvības. 13 Nevis tā kā Mozus, kas aizsedza savu vaigu ar apsegu, lai Israēla dēli neredzētu izzūdošā spožuma galu. 14 Viņu prāti tika ierobežoti, un līdz pat šodienai, Veco Derību lasot, šis apsegs paliek neatsegts – tas zūd tikai līdz ar Kristu. 15 Līdz pat šodienai – ikreiz, kad lasa Mozu, uz viņu sirdīm guļ apsegs, 16 bet, tiklīdz kāds pievēršas Kungam, apsegs viņam tiek noņemts. 17 Kungs ir Gars, bet kur Kunga Gars – tur brīvība. 18 Bet mēs visi, būdami atsegtu vaigu, atspoguļojam Kunga godību, un Kungs, kas ir Gars, mūs pārveido pēc sava tēla aizvien lielākā godības spožumā.
