Servants of the New Covenant
1 Does this sound as if we were again boasting about ourselves? Could it be that, like some other people, we need letters of recommendation to you or from you? 2 You yourselves are the letter we have, written on our hearts for everyone to know and read. 3 It is clear that Christ himself wrote this letter and sent it by us. It is written, not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, and not on stone tablets but on human hearts.
4 We say this because we have confidence in God through Christ. 5 There is nothing in us that allows us to claim that we are capable of doing this work. The capacity we have comes from God; 6 it is he who made us capable of serving the new covenant, which consists not of a written law but of the Spirit. The written law brings death, but the Spirit gives life.
7 The Law was carved in letters on stone tablets, and God's glory appeared when it was given. Even though the brightness on Moses' face was fading, it was so strong that the people of Israel could not keep their eyes fixed on him. If the Law, which brings death when it is in force, came with such glory, 8 how much greater is the glory that belongs to the activity of the Spirit! 9 The system which brings condemnation was glorious; how much more glorious is the activity which brings salvation! 10 We may say that because of the far brighter glory now the glory that was so bright in the past is gone. 11 For if there was glory in that which lasted for a while, how much more glory is there in that which lasts forever!
12 Because we have this hope, we are very bold. 13 We are not like Moses, who had to put a veil over his face so that the people of Israel would not see the brightness fade and disappear. 14 Their minds, indeed, were closed; and to this very day their minds are covered with the same veil as they read the books of the old covenant. The veil is removed only when a person is joined to Christ. 15 Even today, whenever they read the Law of Moses, the veil still covers their minds. 16 But it can be removed, as the scripture says about Moses: “His veil was removed when he turned to the Lord.” 17 Now, “the Lord” in this passage is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is present, there is freedom. 18 All of us, then, reflect the glory of the Lord with uncovered faces; and that same glory, coming from the Lord, who is the Spirit, transforms us into his likeness in an ever greater degree of glory.
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.
