2 Corinthians 3:18 kjv
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
2 Corinthians 3:18 nkjv
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
2 Corinthians 3:18 niv
And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3:18 esv
And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3:18 nlt
So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord ? who is the Spirit ? makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.
2 Corinthians 3 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Cor 3:18 | "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit." | Verse itself |
| Rom 8:29 | "For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son..." | Conformed to Christ's image |
| Gal 4:19 | "...my little children, for whom I am again in anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you!" | Christ being formed in believers |
| Eph 4:13 | "...until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ..." | Attaining Christ's fullness |
| Phil 3:10-11 | "...that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead." | Becoming like Christ |
| 1 John 3:2 | "Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is." | Future likeness to Christ |
| Gen 1:26-27 | "Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness...So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.'" | Original creation in God's image |
| Heb 1:3 | "He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature..." | Christ is the image of God |
| Col 1:15 | "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation." | Christ as the image of God |
| Rom 12:2 | "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." | Transformation by renewal of mind |
| 2 Cor 4:6 | "For it is the God who said, 'Let light 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." | Glory of God in Christ's face |
| John 17:22 | "The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one." | Sharing Christ's glory |
| Acts 26:13-18 | (Paul's conversion experience) | Vision of Jesus leading to transformation |
| Ex 34:29-35 | (Moses' face shone after encountering God) | Moses reflecting God's glory |
| 2 Cor 3:7-11 | (Contrast between the old covenant's fading glory and the new covenant's enduring glory) | The glory of the new covenant |
| 1 Cor 15:41 | "There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory." | Degrees of glory |
| Ps 4:6 | "Many say, 'Who will show us some good? Lift up the light of your countenance upon us, O LORD!'" | Light of God's countenance |
| Eph 5:8 | "...for formerly you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light..." | Children of light |
| Col 3:10 | "...and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator." | Renewal in knowledge of the creator |
| 1 Cor 6:17 | "But the one who joins himself to the Lord with the Spirit is one spirit with him." | Union with Christ through the Spirit |
| John 1:16 | "For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace." | Receiving grace from Christ |
2 Corinthians 3 verses
2 Corinthians 3 18 Meaning
We are transformed into the image of Christ, reflecting His glory. This transformation is a process of spiritual renewal guided by the Holy Spirit. It leads to an increase in our likeness to Christ.
2 Corinthians 3 18 Context
This verse is part of Paul's extended argument in 2 Corinthians 3 contrasting the old covenant (associated with Moses and the law written on stone) with the new covenant (associated with the Spirit and righteousness). In the preceding verses, Paul explains how the law, though holy, brought condemnation and was associated with a glory that was fading. He contrasts this with the glorious ministry of the new covenant, mediated by the Holy Spirit, which results in transformation and freedom.
The immediate context is Paul defending his apostleship and ministry against opponents who doubted his credentials and authority. He emphasizes that his ministry is one of the Spirit, not of the letter, and that its effectiveness lies in its ability to transform people from within. The veil that Moses put on his face after being in God's presence is used as a metaphor for the spiritual blindness that prevents people from seeing the truth of the Gospel under the old covenant. The un-veiling happens when one turns to the Lord, allowing the Holy Spirit to illuminate and transform.
The historical context is the early church's grappling with the transition from Judaism to Christianity. Questions arose about the relationship between the old covenant and the new, and the continuity of God's plan. Paul addresses the Galatian churches also on similar themes concerning the role of the Law and the freedom in Christ.
2 Corinthians 3 18 Word Analysis
- καὶ (kai): And. A common conjunction connecting clauses.
- ἡμεῖς (hēmeis): We. Pronoun, referring to Paul and his fellow ministers, and by extension, all believers.
- πάντες (pantes): All. Emphasizes universality; this transformation applies to all believers.
- ἀνακεκαλυμμένῳ (anakekalymmenō): With unveiled face. From ἀνακαλύπτω (anakalyptō), meaning to uncover, reveal. This links to the veil mentioned in verse 13. It signifies unobstructed access to God and the truth.
- προσώπῳ (prosōpō): Face. The face is the seat of expression and recognition; it symbolizes openness and acknowledgment.
- τὴν δόξαν (tēn doxan): The glory. Refers to the radiant splendor and honor of God, particularly as revealed in Jesus Christ.
- Κυρίου (Kyriou): Of the Lord. Refers to Jesus Christ, who is presented as the Lord in the New Testament.
- ἀναστοιχιζόμεθα (anastoiCHizometha): Are being transformed. From ἀναστοιχίζω (anastoiCHizō), a poetic verb implying to be put in a row or arranged in order. It denotes a progressive, ordered change or reshaping. More commonly, the term in the broader Greek context implies rearrangement, reordering, or reconstitution. The intensity here comes from the prefix "ana-" indicating a return to or a movement upwards, a reordering or reshaping according to a pattern. This indicates a thorough, systematic, and directional change.
- εἰκόνος (eikônos): Image. From εἰκών (eikōn), meaning likeness, representation. This connects to Gen 1:26.
- τῆς αὐτῆς (tēs autēs): Of the same. Denotes similarity.
- εἰς (eis): Into.
- εἰκόνα (eikona): Image. The same word as above, specifying the result of the transformation.
- ἀπὸ (apo): From.
- δόξης (doxēs): Glory.
- δόξης (doxēs): Glory. The repetition emphasizes a progression.
- εἰς (eis): To.
- δόξαν (doxan): Glory.
- ἐνεργουμένη (energoumenē): Is accomplished, is being worked. From ἐνεργέω (energeō), to be active, to work. It emphasizes that this transformation is an active work.
- καὶ (kai): And.
- ἀφ’ (aph'): From.
- Κυρίου (Kyriou): The Lord.
- Πνεύματος (Pneumatos): Spirit. Refers to the Holy Spirit. The phrase "the Lord who is the Spirit" is a significant theological statement, identifying the Lord Jesus with the Holy Spirit.
Words-group Analysis
- "with unveiled face": Symbolizes openness, direct access to God's presence, and lack of concealment, contrasting with the veiled face of Moses. This is a direct consequence of turning to the Lord in the new covenant.
- "beholding the glory of the Lord": This is the cause and source of the transformation. Seeing God’s glory, particularly Christ's glory, is what changes us. This implies contemplation and reception.
- "are being transformed into the same image": This is a continuous, ongoing process (present passive participle). The transformation is not instantaneous but progressive. The goal is conformity to Christ’s image, our original design in God.
- "from one degree of glory to another": This phrase ("from glory to glory") signifies an incremental yet accelerating process of spiritual growth and increasing likeness to Christ. Each stage is characterized by a greater manifestation of God's glory within the believer. This echoes the gradual increase in Moses' glory.
- "For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit": This is the ultimate source and agent of this glorious transformation. It originates from Christ (the Lord) and is actively performed by the Holy Spirit, highlighting the dynamic, relational nature of Christian experience. This links Christ and the Spirit as the divine source of this power.
2 Corinthians 3 18 Bonus Section
The phrase "from glory to glory" suggests a progressive increase in spiritual character and reflection of Christ's nature. This is similar to how physical growth leads to greater maturity, but here it is a spiritual, character-based maturity. This ongoing transformation implies that believers are works in progress. It's a relational process – the more we commune with Christ, the more we are changed into His likeness, empowered by the Spirit. The linking of "Lord" and "Spirit" in the latter part of the verse is theologically significant, asserting the deity of Christ and the role of the Spirit as inseparable in the work of salvation and sanctification. This verse serves as a powerful contrast to legalistic approaches to righteousness, which rely on external adherence to rules rather than internal, Spirit-wrought change.
2 Corinthians 3 18 Commentary
This pivotal verse encapsulates the core of the New Covenant ministry. It describes a dynamic, Spirit-empowered transformation that occurs as believers continually behold the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. Unlike the old covenant, which revealed sin and imposed judgment with a glory that eventually faded, the new covenant through Christ allows unobstructed access to God. This direct gaze into God's glory in Christ does not produce condemnation but a profound internal reshaping. The Holy Spirit is the active agent, working progressively to conform us to the image of Christ. This change is not static; it is a continuous ascent, "from glory to glory," indicating increasing Christ-likeness and a deepening spiritual maturity. It's a testament to God's redemptive power, bringing us from darkness into His marvelous light and reflecting His divine character.
- Practical application: Continuously exposing oneself to God’s Word and the person of Christ through prayer and worship is essential for this transformation. Seeking the Lord’s face actively fuels this process.