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

Second Corinthians 3:13 contrasts Moses' actions with the clarity and enduring nature of the new covenant. Moses put a veil over his face not simply to shield the Israelites from his divine radiance, but as a symbolic act reflecting the spiritual inability of the people to gaze steadily upon the temporary nature and ultimate purpose of the Old Covenant, which was being brought to an end. The veil prevented them from seeing that the glory of the Law was fading and pointed to something greater, thereby highlighting their lack of spiritual discernment regarding the Law's temporary status before Christ.

2 Corinthians 3 13 Context

Chapter 3 of 2 Corinthians is part of Paul's defense of his apostolic ministry and an exaltation of the new covenant in contrast to the old. Paul's authority was being challenged, and he responded by highlighting the superior glory and effectiveness of the ministry of the Spirit (new covenant) over the ministry of the letter (old covenant). The immediate context of verse 13 follows Paul's assertion in 2 Cor 3:7-11 that the glory of the Old Covenant, though significant, was a "fading glory" (τῆς καταργουμένης), temporary and diminishing in comparison to the "surpassing glory" of the New Covenant (τῆς περισσευούσης δόξης). Paul then references the incident from Exodus 34:29-35, where Moses' face shone after encountering God, and he subsequently put a veil over his face because the Israelites were afraid. Paul reinterprets this act, shifting the emphasis from the Israelites' fear of God's immediate glory to their inability to comprehend the Law's transient nature, which the veil symbolized.

2 Corinthians 3 13 Word analysis

• And not as Moses (καὶ οὐ καθάπερ Μωϋσῆς):

  • καὶ (kai): "And," linking to the previous idea.
  • οὐ (ou): "Not," signaling a direct contrast.
  • καθάπερ (kathaper): "Just as, even as," establishing a comparative relationship that is then negated. Paul presents a counter-example to what his readers should do.
  • Μωϋσῆς (Mōysēs): "Moses." The prominent figure of the Old Covenant and the Law. This establishes the direct parallel and contrast.

• which put a veil (περιετίθει κάλυμμα):

  • περιετίθει (perietithei): Imperfect tense of peritithēmi, "to put around, to place on, to clothe." It suggests a continuous or repeated action in the past (Moses' regular practice after descending from Sinai), rather than a singular event.
  • κάλυμμα (kalymma): "Veil, covering." A piece of cloth or other material used to obscure or hide something. Its purpose here is key to Paul's reinterpretation. In Exodus 34, it might have been for the Israelites' comfort due to the intense glory; in Paul's exegesis, it becomes a symbol of the prevention of insight.

• over his face (ἐπὶ τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ):

  • ἐπὶ (epi): "On, upon," indicating placement.
  • τὸ πρόσωπον (to prosōpon): "The face." The location where the divine glory was most manifest and radiant. The veil covered the visible manifestation of God's presence among His people through Moses.
  • αὐτοῦ (autou): "Of him, his." Referring to Moses.

• that the children of Israel (πρὸς τὸ μὴ ἀτενίσαι τοὺς υἱοὺς Ἰσραήλ):

  • πρὸς τὸ μὴ (pros to mē): "In order not to, so that not." Indicates the purpose or intention behind Moses' action, according to Paul's interpretation.
  • ἀτενίσαι (atenisai): Aorist infinitive of atenizō, "to fix one's eyes upon, to gaze intently, to stare steadfastly." This strong verb emphasizes a focused and prolonged look. The veil prevented them from seeing deeply or understanding.
  • τοὺς υἱοὺς Ἰσραήλ (tous hyious Israēl): "The sons/children of Israel." The audience, the original recipients of the Law, representing the Jewish people under the Old Covenant.

• could not stedfastly look to the end (πρὸς τὸ μὴ ἀτενίσαι...εἰς τὸ τέλος):

  • This phrase groups the purpose of the veil with the object of that hiddenness. It suggests a deeper spiritual incapacity. The Israelites couldn't gaze intently unto the end.
  • εἰς (eis): "Into, unto, to." Denotes direction towards a destination or goal.
  • τὸ τέλος (to telos): "The end, goal, consummation, purpose." This is a profoundly significant word. It means both the cessation or termination of something (temporal end) and the ultimate purpose or aim (teleological end). For Paul, the Law (Old Covenant) was temporary, meant to conclude, and it also had a purpose that led to Christ (Rom 10:4). The veil prevented them from seeing both that the Law would cease and that its ultimate purpose was Christ.

• of that which is abolished (τοῦ καταργουμένου):

  • τοῦ (tou): Genitive definite article, linking "end" to the thing that is ending.
  • καταργουμένου (katargoumenou): Present passive participle of katargeō, "to make ineffective, to nullify, to bring to an end, to abolish, to do away with, to render idle/useless." The present participle implies an ongoing state or process of being abolished. It emphasizes the fading and diminishing glory, which was always temporary and pointed beyond itself. This refers to the Old Covenant's efficacy and administration as superseded by the new, not the moral law itself.

2 Corinthians 3 13 Bonus section

The theological implications of Paul's understanding of "τέλος" (telos) are vast. By using "τέλος" for the "end" of what is being abolished, Paul encapsulates both the chronological cessation of the Old Covenant's authoritative role as the primary dispensation for salvation and the fulfillment of its divinely intended purpose in Christ. Christ did not destroy the Law but fulfilled its requirements and goals. This perspective guards against both antinomianism (anti-law sentiment) and legalism, showing that while the Law itself was good and holy, its administration was temporary and always pointed beyond itself to Christ.

Furthermore, Paul’s reinterpretation emphasizes a continuity in God’s redemptive plan while also highlighting a decisive discontinuity in how God interacts with His people. The veiled face of Moses serves as a potent image not just for ancient Israel's spiritual state but for anyone today who attempts to approach God through external rituals or a misinterpretation of the Law, without embracing the indwelling Spirit and the unveiled glory found in Christ. The ability to "gaze intently" without the veil signifies spiritual understanding and transformation, a hallmark of the new covenant believer (2 Cor 3:18).

2 Corinthians 3 13 Commentary

Paul’s reinterpretation of Moses' veil in 2 Corinthians 3:13 is crucial for understanding the distinction and superiority of the New Covenant. While Exodus depicts Moses veiling his face perhaps out of consideration for the Israelites' fear of God's radiant glory, Paul emphasizes a deeper spiritual truth. The veil served to obscure, not merely the intense light, but the temporary nature and true destination of the Law (the Old Covenant). The Israelites, by looking at the veiled face, could not "steadfastly look to the end" (εἰς τὸ τέλος) of what was "being abolished" (τοῦ καταργουμένου). This "end" has a dual meaning: the cessation of the Old Covenant's legal administration, and its ultimate goal—which is Christ (Rom 10:4).

The veil thus becomes a metaphor for the spiritual blindness and hardened hearts of the people under the Old Covenant, preventing them from perceiving that the glory of the Law was transient, diminishing, and pointing to something greater, namely Christ and the ministry of the Spirit. This blindness meant they failed to understand that the Law was not the final word but a temporary guardian (Gal 3:24). The glory of the Law, despite its divine origin, was "fading" and provisional compared to the New Covenant's enduring and increasing glory in Christ (2 Cor 3:11). Paul argues that true understanding and discernment come not from adhering strictly to the letter of the Law but through turning to the Lord, where the spiritual veil is removed (2 Cor 3:16) and one can behold the glory of the Lord with an unveiled face (2 Cor 3:18).

This verse highlights a key aspect of salvation history: the Old Covenant was purposeful, but temporary, designed to lead to Christ. Its temporary nature and true meaning were obscured, by divine allowance, and by the spiritual inability of the people. This paves the way for the glory and clarity of the New Covenant, where all believers can have direct access to God's glory through the Spirit.