2 Corinthians 3:14 kjv
But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.
2 Corinthians 3:14 nkjv
But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ.
2 Corinthians 3:14 niv
But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away.
2 Corinthians 3:14 esv
But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away.
2 Corinthians 3:14 nlt
But the people's minds were hardened, and to this day whenever the old covenant is being read, the same veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth. And this veil can be removed only by believing in Christ.
2 Corinthians 3 14 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Cor 3:14 | But their minds were hardened. For until this day remains the same veil... | 2 Cor 3:15 (further explanation of the hardened minds) |
| Isa 25:7 | And He will destroy on this mountain the surface of the covering cast over all people... | Isa 61:1 (Messianic prophecy of restoration) |
| Matt 13:14 | And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah...having eyes they would not see... | Mark 4:12, Luke 8:10 (Jesus quotes Isaiah on hardening) |
| John 12:40 | For He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, lest they should see with their eyes... | Rom 11:8 (Paul quotes Isaiah and John) |
| Acts 28:26 | "Go to this people and say, 'Hearing you will hear, and shall not understand...' | Heb 4:2 (Quoting Deut. 1:43; Psalm 95:11 on disobedience) |
| Rom 11:25 | For I do not want you, brethren, to be ignorant of this mystery... that blindness in part has happened to Israel... | Rom 11:26 (Continuation of the mystery of Israel's salvation) |
| Gal 3:23 | But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. | Gal 3:24 (The Law as a schoolmaster leading to Christ) |
| Eph 4:18 | having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God... | Eph 4:17 (Describes unregenerate state) |
| 1 Pet 1:10 | of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you... | 1 Pet 1:11 (Prophets testifying of Christ's sufferings and glory) |
| 1 Cor 15:45 | And so it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. | 1 Cor 15:46 (Contrast between natural and spiritual bodies) |
| Heb 8:6 | But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant... | Heb 8:7 (New Covenant better than the old) |
| Heb 10:19 | Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest of All by the blood of Jesus... | Heb 10:20 (Access through Christ's sacrifice) |
| Rev 1:7 | "Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him." | Rev 1:8 (Christ's glorious return) |
| Deut 4:2 | You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it... | Deut 12:32 (Warning against altering God's Word) |
| Psa 119:18 | Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law. | Psa 119:105 (The Word is a lamp to the feet) |
| Isa 43:8 | Bring forth the blind people who have eyes, and the deaf who have ears. | Isa 35:5 (Prophecy of restoration) |
| Jer 31:33 | "But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD..." | Heb 8:10 (Quoting Jeremiah for the New Covenant) |
| Acts 2:17 | "And it shall come to pass in the last days,' says God, 'That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh... | Joel 2:28 (Pentecost fulfilling Joel's prophecy) |
| Rom 7:6 | But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what held us captive... | Rom 7:4 (Relationship of believers to the law through Christ) |
| 2 Cor 4:6 | For it is God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. | 2 Cor 4:4 (Christ as the image of God) |
2 Corinthians 3 verses
2 Corinthians 3 14 Meaning
The veil that still remains when the Old Testament is read prevents a full understanding until it is turned to Christ. When one turns to the Lord, this spiritual veil is taken away, leading to true sight and freedom.
2 Corinthians 3 14 Context
Second Corinthians chapter 3 contrasts the old covenant, described as a ministry of death and condemnation, with the new covenant in Christ, a ministry of righteousness and life. Paul is defending his apostleship and the spiritual efficacy of the gospel he preaches against challenges from Judaizers. He has been speaking about the glory that shone from Moses' face when he descended from Mount Sinai, a glory that faded. This fading glory, Paul argues, symbolizes the temporary and shadowed nature of the Mosaic Law itself. The veil on Moses' face represented the blindness that prevents many Israelites from seeing the fulfillment of the Law in Jesus Christ. The "reading of the Old Covenant" still carries this veil because its true meaning is only revealed when it is understood in light of Christ. The turning point comes when one turns "to the Lord," signifying a personal reception of Christ as Messiah and Savior.
2 Corinthians 3 14 Word Analysis
- Wheniten (Hotan): Conjunction introducing a condition or time. "When" or "whenever."
- epistrepse (epistrepse): Verb, aorist indicative middle, 3rd person singular from epistrepho. Means "to turn," "to turn back," "to return," "to turn oneself to." Implies a change of direction or allegiance. In the passive/middle voice, it suggests an active turning towards someone or something.
- Kuriou (Kuriou): Genitive singular of kurios. Means "Lord" or "master." In this context, it specifically refers to the Lord Jesus Christ.
- peritrekhtai (peritrekhtai): Verb, passive imperative, 3rd person singular of peritithemi. Means "to put around," "to be veiled," "to be covered." This word is unique in the New Testament for this passive form with the meaning of veiling. It conveys the sense of something being removed or taken away.
- to (to): Definite article, neuter singular. "the."
- kalymma (kalyma): Noun, neuter singular from kalyma. Means "veil," "covering," "mantle." Symbolically represents spiritual blindness and the obstruction of truth.
Words Group Analysis:
- "epistrepse Kuriou" (turns to the Lord): This phrase signifies a crucial spiritual transition. It's not merely intellectual assent but a deep personal conversion and turning of the heart toward Christ. This turning activates the removal of the veil. This echoes the idea of spiritual turning and new life found throughout Scripture.
- "peritrekhtai to kalyma" (the veil is taken away): The veil, representing the inability to fully grasp the Old Testament in its Messianic dimension, is removed. This removal is contingent upon the turning "to the Lord." The removal is not inherent in the Law but is a gift accompanying faith in Christ.
2 Corinthians 3 14 Bonus Section
The imagery of a veil obscuring truth is potent. It speaks to a spiritual reality where intellectual knowledge without the illumination of the Holy Spirit through Christ can remain insufficient. The apostalic message in 2 Corinthians centers on the transformation that occurs through the Gospel, moving from a ministry that produces condemnation (the Law without Christ) to a ministry that produces life and righteousness. This transformation is initiated by turning to the Lord and results in seeing clearly the redemptive plan of God unfolding throughout all of Scripture. The concept of a veiled understanding and its removal upon conversion is a recurring theme in theological discussions about revelation and spiritual illumination.
2 Corinthians 3 14 Commentary
The heart of this verse lies in the causal relationship between turning to the Lord and the removal of a spiritual veil. This veil prevents a complete understanding of the Old Testament's purpose, which points towards Christ. When a person genuinely turns to Jesus Christ in faith, the illuminating power of the Holy Spirit is granted, and the spiritual blindness associated with the Law, when seen in isolation from its fulfillment, is lifted. This enables the believer to perceive the glory and truth of God as revealed in the face of Christ. The Old Testament scriptures, once obscured, now speak powerfully of the Savior.