2 Corinthians 3:16 kjv
Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
2 Corinthians 3:16 nkjv
Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
2 Corinthians 3:16 niv
But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
2 Corinthians 3:16 esv
But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.
2 Corinthians 3:16 nlt
But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
2 Corinthians 3 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Cor 3:15 | "But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart." | Old Covenant understanding |
| Acts 28:25-27 | Explains spiritual blindness hardening hearts towards truth. | Spiritual blindness |
| John 12:40 | "He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart..." | Spiritual blindness |
| Isa 6:10 | "Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy..." | Spiritual blindness |
| Rom 11:7-10 | Those who sought righteousness by law did not obtain it, but the elect did. | Law vs. Grace |
| Gal 3:2-5 | Justification by faith, not by works of the law. | Faith vs. Law |
| Eph 4:17-19 | Gentiles' futile way of thinking, darkened understanding. | Darkened understanding |
| Col 1:21 | Previously alienated and hostile in mind because of evil deeds. | Alienated in mind |
| 1 Pet 1:10-12 | Prophets searched for the meaning of salvation's revelation. | Seeking revelation |
| Heb 8:8-12 | New Covenant promise of knowing God. | New Covenant promise |
| Jer 31:31-34 | The promise of a New Covenant written on hearts. | New Covenant promise |
| Ex 34:33-35 | Moses veiled his face because of the glory. | Moses' veil |
| Ex 34:29-30 | Radiance of Moses' face from encountering God. | Radiance of God's glory |
| Psa 119:130 | Entrance of God's word giving light. | Word as light |
| Prov 6:23 | Commandment is a lamp, and teaching is light. | Teaching as light |
| Luke 24:44-45 | Opened their understanding to understand the Scriptures. | Opened understanding |
| 1 Cor 2:10-16 | The Spirit reveals God's things to those who have the Spirit. | Spirit's revelation |
| John 3:3-7 | Must be born again to see the kingdom of God. | Spiritual rebirth |
| Rom 7:1-6 | Freed from the law through the body of Christ. | Freed from the law |
| 2 Cor 4:3-6 | Gospel veiled to those who are perishing, but unveiled to believers. | Gospel veiled/unveiled |
| Phil 4:7 | Peace of God guarding hearts and minds. | Peace of God |
| Heb 10:19-22 | Boldness to enter the holy place through Jesus' blood. | Boldness to enter |
2 Corinthians 3 verses
2 Corinthians 3 16 Meaning
When a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away, signifying the removal of spiritual blindness and the reception of Christ's light. This transformation brings about a new understanding of God's Word and a readiness to receive the fullness of God's truth.
2 Corinthians 3 16 Context
Second Corinthians chapter 3 continues Paul's defense of his apostolic ministry. He contrasts the fading glory of the Mosaic Law ministry with the enduring glory of the New Covenant ministry empowered by the Holy Spirit. In this section, Paul addresses the spiritual blindness that hinders many Jews from recognizing Jesus as the Messiah, a blindness attributed to a veil that remains over their hearts when they read the Old Testament (specifically, the Law of Moses). Paul then proclaims that when "any one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed." This refers to the transformative power of embracing Christ, which opens the mind and heart to understand the true meaning of the Scriptures and God's redemptive plan. This chapter highlights the superiority of the New Covenant, which brings righteousness and liberation through the Spirit, unlike the Old Covenant that pronounces judgment through the law. The historical context involves Jewish opposition to Paul's ministry and his arguments against those who clung to the Law as the means of righteousness, pointing instead to Christ and the Holy Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3 16 Word Analysis
- Όταν δε ἐπιστρέφῃ (hótan de epistrephē): "But when it turns."
Hótan(when) introduces a conditional temporal clause.De(but) provides a contrast.Epistrephē(turns) is the present passive subjunctive ofepistrephō, meaning "to turn oneself back," "to turn around," or "to convert." It implies a conscious turning away from one state or belief to another. This "turning" is an active response of the heart and mind. - ἐπί τόν Κύριον (epi ton Kurion): "to the Lord."
Epi(on, upon, to) indicates the direction or object of the turning.Ton Kurion(the Lord) refers specifically to the Lord Jesus Christ in this New Testament context, acknowledging His deity and authority. - περιστέλλεται (peristelletai): "is taken away," "is removed." This is the present passive indicative of
peristellō, which can mean to encompass, to fold up, or in this context, to remove something that covers or conceals. It suggests a divine action of removing the hindrance. - τὸ κάλυμμα (to kalymma): "the veil." This is a neuter noun referring to a covering, a veil, or a curtain. It specifically denotes the symbolic barrier that obscures spiritual understanding, directly referencing the veil on Moses' face and, more importantly, the veil upon the hearts of those who do not understand the Old Testament's fulfillment in Christ.
- The phrase "when any one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away": This entire phrase captures the essence of conversion and spiritual illumination within the New Covenant framework. It signifies the active faith of an individual responding to the Gospel ("turns to the Lord") and the subsequent passive reception of spiritual understanding through God's action ("the veil is taken away"). This is not merely an intellectual understanding but a heart transformation, allowing the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ to shine into the believer's life. The singular "any one" implies the universal applicability of this principle to all who turn to Christ, regardless of their background.
2 Corinthians 3 16 Bonus Section
The "veil" can be understood in multiple layers. Primarily, it symbolizes the hardened hearts of unbelieving Jews who could not see the fulfillment of the Law in Jesus. It also represents the veil that the Law itself imposed – a system of condemnation rather than life. When people turn to the Lord Jesus, they are no longer under the dominion of the Law but are empowered by the Holy Spirit, who illuminates the Scriptures and God's will, revealing Christ as the ultimate fulfillment and the embodiment of God's glory. This internal transformation allows the glorious radiance of God's presence and truth to be perceived, echoing Moses' experience but with an even greater and more enduring glory through the indwelling Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3 16 Commentary
Conversion to Christ is the pivotal act that dispels spiritual blindness. When individuals turn from their sin and disbelief to the Lord Jesus, the veil of misunderstanding and resistance is removed. This removal enables them to comprehend the truth of the Gospel and the full scope of God's promises fulfilled in Christ, transforming their hearts and minds with God's glory.