2 Corinthians 3:1-6 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again i.e., by saying that we are not like other people? Or, do we need letters of recommendation to you or from you, as others do?

AUV⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ Are we beginning to commend ourselves again [i.e., by saying that we are not like other people]? Or, do we need letters of recommendation to you or from you, as others do? ² You people are our letters [of recommendation], written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. ³ You people show [i.e., by your conversions] that you are a letter from Christ, delivered by us [i.e., the result of our ministry], not written with ink but with the Holy Spirit of the living God; not on stone tablets [i.e., as in the case with Moses’ ministry], but on tablets of the human heart. [See Jer. 31:33; Heb. 8:10]. ⁴ [We say this] because we have such confidence in God through [our relationship with] Christ. ⁵ It is not that we are [so] competent as to consider anything [we do] as coming from ourselves, but our competence comes from God. ⁶ He has also made us competent as ministers of a New Agreement [i.e., between Himself and mankind]. It is not [an agreement] based [merely] on a written document [i.e., such as the law of Moses], but on the Holy Spirit, for the written document brings [spiritual] death [See Rom. 8:2], but the Holy Spirit brings [never ending] life.