2 Corinthians 3 13

2 Corinthians 3:13 kjv

And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:

2 Corinthians 3:13 nkjv

unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away.

2 Corinthians 3:13 niv

We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away.

2 Corinthians 3:13 esv

not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end.

2 Corinthians 3:13 nlt

We are not like Moses, who put a veil over his face so the people of Israel would not see the glory, even though it was destined to fade away.

2 Corinthians 3 verses

2 Corinthians 3 13 Meaning

The verse signifies that Moses, when speaking to the Israelites, veiled his face because the Israelites could not steadfastly gaze upon the ending radiance of his countenance, a radiance that was fading. This act of veiling symbolized a deeper reality about the Old Covenant, which could not permanently shine with God's glory without diminishing, due to the limitations inherent in the Law itself. The inability of the Israelites to endure Moses' countenance mirrored their inability to fully grasp and live under the Old Covenant in its completeness.

2 Corinthians 3 13 Context

Second Corinthians chapter 3 continues Paul's defense of his apostleship, particularly against opponents in Corinth who were questioning his authority and the perceived "weakness" of his ministry compared to the impressive credentials some others were presenting. Paul contrasts the Old Covenant, embodied in Moses' ministry, with the New Covenant established through Christ and administered by the Holy Spirit. He argues that while the Old Covenant had a fading glory, the New Covenant's ministry, through the Spirit, possesses an enduring and ever-increasing glory. Moses veiled his face because the glory of the Old Covenant's law was too intense for the Israelites to bear, signifying its transient nature and their inability to fully keep it. This veiling is used as an analogy for the spiritual blindness that prevents many Jews from recognizing Jesus as the Messiah and the fulfillment of the Law.

2 Corinthians 3 13 Word Analysis

• καὶ (kai): "and." A simple conjunction connecting phrases or clauses.
• ἔχομεν (echomen): "we have." First-person plural present active indicative of ἔχω (echō), meaning "to have," "to hold," "to possess." Here, it signifies a present possession or characteristic.
• τοιαύτην (toiautēn): "such," "of this kind." Accusative feminine singular of τοιοῦτος (toioutos), indicating similarity or a specific quality. Refers to the nature of the hope or confidence they possess.
• ἐλπίδα (elpida): "hope." Accusative singular of ἐλπίς (elpis). This refers to the confident expectation of future good, particularly the consummation of God's redemptive plan in Christ.
• ποιοῦμεν (poioumen): "we make," "we do," "we become." First-person plural present active indicative of ποιέω (poieō), meaning "to make," "to do," "to cause." In this context, it relates to the action of being open or un-veiled in speaking.
• ἐν (en): "in," "by," "with." Preposition indicating means or sphere.
• παρρησίᾳ (parrēsia): "boldness," "openness," "confidence," "frankness." Noun in the dative singular. Refers to speaking openly and without concealment, characteristic of the New Covenant ministry.
• βρη (brē): This appears to be a typo. The intended word is likely a Greek verb form related to speaking or showing. If we consider the surrounding words, it's related to Moses' action.
• ἀντανακλᾶσθαι (antanaklasthai): "to reflect back," "to shine back." Deponent infinitive of ἀντανακλάω (antanaklaō). Used in reference to the light from Moses' face reflecting back.
• τοῦ προσώπου (tou prosōpou): "of the face." Genitive singular of πρόσωπον (prosōpon), meaning "face," "countenance."
• αὐτοῦ (autou): "his." Genitive masculine singular pronoun, referring back to Moses.
• ἀνατείλαντος (anateilantos): "shining," "rising," "gleaming." Genitive masculine singular aorist active participle of ἀνατέλλω (anatellō), meaning "to rise," "to cause to rise," "to shine forth." This participle modifies "prosōpou," describing the state of Moses' face as it shone.
• καὶ (kai): "and." Conjunction.
• φθειρομένου (phtheiroumenou): "fading," "decaying," "perishing." Genitive masculine singular present passive participle of φθείρω (phtheirō), meaning "to corrupt," "to destroy," "to decay." This participle also modifies "prosōpou," indicating the diminishing nature of the reflected glory.

Word-Group Analysis:"ἀντανακλᾶσθαι τοῦ προσώπου αὐτοῦ ἀνατείλαντος καὶ φθειρομένου" - "to reflect back of his face shining and fading." This phrase encapsulates the visual analogy. The reflected glory from Moses' face (αὐτοῦ) was intense and "shining" (ἀνατείλαντος), but also transient and "fading" (φθειρομένου), rendering it bearable only by concealing it. This physical phenomenon serves as the key to understanding the spiritual reality being discussed.

2 Corinthians 3 13 Bonus Section

The imagery of a veil over the face has strong Old Testament roots. It signifies both reverence and obstruction. While Moses veiled his face in response to the intensity of God's glory as mediated through the Law, this act inadvertently became a symbol of the Law's own limitations and the way it veiled spiritual understanding for those who remained under it without turning to Christ. The contrast Paul draws emphasizes that the New Covenant ministry is characterized by open facedness (parrēsia) because its glory, originating from the Spirit, does not fade but reveals God's unchangeable truth and transforming power. This open facedness allows believers to boldly proclaim the gospel, drawing others to the Lord, whose glory is eternal.

2 Corinthians 3 13 Commentary

Paul employs Moses' radiant yet fading face as a powerful metaphor. The Old Covenant, represented by the Law given through Moses, carried a visible glory—God's presence and commands. However, this glory was temporary and dimming, analogous to Moses veiling his face to shield the Israelites from its fading brilliance. This fading highlights the Law's inability to bring ultimate perfection or endure eternally on its own. Paul contrasts this with the believers' ministry, which, through Christ and the Spirit, has a similar "hope" or openness (parrēsia), but without the same veiling or fading because it points to an enduring, un-fading reality in Christ. The inability of the Israelites to bear Moses' temporarily glorified face foreshadows the spiritual blindness that hinders many from seeing Christ as the true fulfillment of the Law and the enduring light.