2 Corinthians 3 Are we beginning again to continue commending ourselves (giving ourselves a standing together with you folks) as if we, like some, now need letters of recommendation to you, or from you?

JMNT⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ Are we beginning again to continue commending ourselves (giving ourselves a standing together with [you folks]) as if we, like some, now need letters of recommendation to you, or from you? ² You yourselves are and continue being our letter – being one having been written (inscribed; imprinted; engraved) within your hearts [other MSS: our hearts]; one progressively being experientially known and continuously read (or: periodically recognized and experienced again) by all people (mankind) – ³ because you are and continue being those continuously set in clear light and progressively manifested: Christ's letter (a letter whose source is Christ, and which is Christ), being one dispensed in attending service by us, being one having been written (inscribed; imprinted; engraved), not in black (= not with ink), but rather, by (or: in; with) God's Spirit: One continuously living (or: in a Breath-effect which has its origin in God, Who is constantly living); not in stone tablets (or: on tablets composed of stone), but rather within tablets which are hearts made of flesh (or: on tablets in hearts composed of flesh). ⁴ Now through the Christ we continuously possess (or: So, by means of the Anointing we progressively have and hold) this sort of persuaded trust and faith-based confidence [directed and leading] toward God (or: face to face with God) ⁵ – not that we are competent (adequately enough; sufficiently qualified) from ourselves to logically evaluate or count anything as it were forth from out of ourselves – but to the contrary, our competency (adequacy; sufficiency; qualification) [is] forth from out of the midst of (having its source in) God, ⁶ Who also adequately qualifies us (or: made us fit, competent and sufficient) [to be] attending servants and dispensers of an arrangement that is new in quality (or: pertaining to a new kind of covenant that has a different character and is fresh and effective) – not of [the] letter (or: not pertaining to the result of that which is written down; not having its source in the effect of a written text), but in contrast, of a Breath-effect (or: pertaining to the result of [the] Spirit; having its source in and being the effect of spirit and attitude), for the effect of letter habitually kills (or: the result of writing something into a text repeatedly puts away in death), yet the Spirit (or: the spirit; the breath-effect; the Attitude) continuously gives life (or: repeatedly makes alive; progressively forms life; habitually creates life)! ⁷ Now since (or: if) the attending service of the Death (or: the dispensing of provision from death; the serving of provisions and support, which is the death) – being one that has been formed by a beaten impression of types and the outlines of patterns that exists as engravings within letters and the effects of written texts chiseled on stones – was birthed and came into existence within glory (in a manifestation which called forth praise and with a good reputation), so that the sons of Israel came to be continuously unable (or: habitually having no power) to intently gaze into the face of Moses, because of the glory and manifestation which came from his face – which [glory] was being progressively unemployed so as to be brought down to having no work, to be ineffective and nullified – ⁸ how shall not rather the attending service and dispensing of the provision of the Spirit (or: which has its source in the Breath-effect; marked by, pertaining to and being the effect of the spirit and attitude) continue being within glory (existing in the midst of a manifestation which calls forth praise; being centered on and in union with a good reputation and with imagination)? ⁹ For since (or: if) the attending service and dispensing of the corresponding evaluations and commensurate decisions which follow the pattern (or: separations for condemnation; judgmentswhich are down-decisions against folks) [had] glory, to a much greater degree does the attending service and the dispensing of the fairness and equity in rightwised relationships (or: righteousness from covenantal inclusion: that which corresponds to the Way pointed out, and which turns us in the right direction) progressively surround and continuously exceed in glory (or: habitually overflow with a manifestation which calls forth praise and brings a good reputation)! [comment: it would seem that Paul is casting the Law as a dispenser of condemnation, and is contrasting that to the Good News – casting this latter as a dispenser of “righteousness” and a servant for folks being turned in the right direction] ¹⁰ In fact, even that which had been made glorious, [by comparison] has not been glorified so as to now be glorious – in this respect: on account of the transcending glory which is constantly surpassing [that] and progressively over-casting [us]. ¹¹ You see, since that which was being progressively unemployed and brought down to doing no work – even being made ineffective and nullified – [came] through glory, to a much greater extent is the continuously remaining one (the dwelling, abiding and enduring one) [existing] within the midst of glory. ¹² Therefore, progressively possessing (having and holding) an expectation (or: expectant hope) such as this, we habitually use much freedom of speech and bold lack of reserve (or: are constantly telling it all with absolute unreservedness, based upon our citizenship), unlike Moses. ¹³ He kept on putting a head-covering (veil) upon his face so that the sons of Israel were not to gaze intently into the purposed and destined goal (the end; the result; the termination; the fruition) of that which was being progressively unemployed and brought down to doing no work and being made ineffective and nullified. ¹⁴ But further, the results of their mental conceptions, intellectual workings and thought processes were petrified (made to be a stony concretion; were hardened and made callous [note: the word became a medical term for being covered with thick skin]), for until this very day the same head-covering (veil) continues remaining (dwelling; abiding) upon the reading of the old covenant (arrangement; thorough placement) – it [i.e., the reading of the old, or the old covenant itself] continues not being uncovered or unveiled – because it [i.e., the old covenant and arrangement] continues being progressively and fully unemployed and brought down to doing no work and being made useless, ineffective and nullified within Christ (or: = the old arrangement and covenant is nullified in union with [the] Anointing, and in the midst of Christ). ¹⁵ Still furthermore, until today, whenever Moses should be repeatedly read [e.g., in the synagogue], a head-covering (veil) continues lying upon their heart (= the innermost being of the group). ¹⁶ Yet whenever the time should be reached when it [= the heart] would (or: can; may; should; or: shall at some point) twist and turn upon, so as to face toward, [the] Lord [= Christ], "the head-covering (veil) is by habit progressively taken from around [it]." [note: a quote of Ex. 34:34 LXX, where Moses would enter in to speak with Yahweh; the same act was performed by the husband, on the bride, after the wedding ceremony] ¹⁷ Now the Lord [= Christ or Yahweh] continuously exists being the Spirit (or: Yet the Breath-effect is the Lord), so where [the] Lord's Breath-effect (Spirit; Attitude) [blows, there is] freedom (or: and so in the place in which the Breath-effect – the Spirit – which is [the] Lord [= Christ or Yahweh] [blows], liberty [comes]). ¹⁸ But we all, ourselves – having a face that has been uncovered and remains unveiled [note: as with Moses, before the Lord, Ex. 34:34] – being folks who by a mirror are continuously observing, as ourselves, the Lord's [= Yahweh's or Christ's] glory (or: being those who progressively reflect – from ourselves as by a mirror – the glory of [our] Owner), are presently being continuously and progressively transformed into the very same image, from glory into glory – in accord with and exactly as – from [the] Lord's Breath-effect (or: from [the] Spirit and Attitude of [the] Lord [= Christ or Yahweh]). [comment: considering the context of this chapter, this may refer to the transformation from glory of Moses, into the glory of Christ; or, it may be speaking of a from time to time transfiguration from the glory of humanity into the glory of the Anointing, on an individual basis]