2 Corinthians 3:8 kjv
How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?
2 Corinthians 3:8 nkjv
how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious?
2 Corinthians 3:8 niv
will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious?
2 Corinthians 3:8 esv
will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory?
2 Corinthians 3:8 nlt
Shouldn't we expect far greater glory under the new way, now that the Holy Spirit is giving life?
2 Corinthians 3 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Cor 3:6 | ...not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. | New Covenant, Spirit gives life. |
| 2 Cor 3:7 | Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory... | Contrast: Old Covenant, glory but brings death. |
| 2 Cor 3:9 | For if the ministry that brought condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! | Explaining "more glorious" with righteousness. |
| 2 Cor 3:10 | For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. | Further emphasis on comparative glory. |
| Ex 34:29-35 | When Moses came down...his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD. | The glory of Moses' face, basis of Paul's comparison. |
| Isa 60:1 | Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. | Prophecy of future, divine glory for God's people. |
| Jer 31:31-34 | The days are coming...when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel... | Prophecy of the New Covenant, internal law. |
| Ezek 36:26-27 | I will give you a new heart...and put my Spirit in you... | Prophecy of the Spirit's role in inner transformation. |
| Jn 6:63 | The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. | Spirit as giver of life, contrasting with "letter." |
| Rom 8:2 | For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. | Spirit brings life, freedom from condemnation. |
| Rom 8:9-11 | You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. | Indwelling Spirit and its life-giving power. |
| Rom 15:16 | ...I might be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel... | Ministry as service (διακονία), aligned with Paul's context. |
| Heb 8:6 | But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant he mediates is superior... | Superiority of New Covenant ministry. |
| Heb 8:13 | By calling this covenant "new," he has made the first one obsolete... | The New Covenant superseding the Old. |
| Gal 3:2 | Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? | Spirit received through faith, not law works. |
| Eph 2:1-5 | You were dead in your transgressions and sins...made us alive with Christ. | Spiritual death reversed by divine action (Spirit). |
| Phil 3:7-9 | ...whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ...that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own... | Righteousness not from law, but from Christ/faith. |
| 1 Cor 2:4 | My speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power. | Spirit's power in effective ministry. |
| 2 Cor 4:6 | For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts...to give the light of the knowledge of God's glory in the face of Christ. | The glory now seen in believers through Christ. |
| Acts 2:17-18 | I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy... | The widespread outpouring of the Spirit. |
| Col 1:28 | He is the one we proclaim, admonishing everyone...to present everyone fully mature in Christ. | Ministry aiming for transformation in Christ. |
| 1 Pet 4:14 | If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. | Spirit is linked with glory in believers. |
2 Corinthians 3 verses
2 Corinthians 3 8 Meaning
This verse emphatically declares that the ministry empowered by the Holy Spirit, which inaugurates the New Covenant, is far more splendid and glorious than the ministry associated with the Old Covenant of the Law, despite the latter having its own, albeit transient, glory. Paul uses a rhetorical question to highlight the undeniable and superior radiance of the Spirit's work. This glory is not fading or external, but transformative, permanent, and life-giving.
2 Corinthians 3 8 Context
The second letter to the Corinthians, particularly chapter 3, is a defense of Paul's apostleship and the nature of the New Covenant ministry against challenges from opponents. Paul is contrasting two "ministries" or "covenants": the Old Covenant of the Law, exemplified by Moses receiving the Law on Mount Sinai, and the New Covenant of the Spirit, ushered in by Christ and mediated by apostles like Paul. Verses 7-11 directly compare the glory associated with each. The "ministration that brought death" (v.7) refers to the Law, which condemns due to human inability to keep it perfectly. The "ministration of the Spirit" (v.8) refers to the gospel message and its power through the Holy Spirit to bring life and righteousness. Paul emphasizes that while Moses' face reflected God's glory, that glory was temporary and veiled. The glory of the New Covenant is unveiled, transformative, and far superior.
2 Corinthians 3 8 Word analysis
- How shall not / Will not: In Greek, this is part of a rhetorical question (οὐχὶ μᾶλλον - ouchi mallon). It implies an emphatic affirmation, expecting the obvious answer "yes, indeed!" It stresses the absolute certainty and irrefutability of the statement.
- the ministration / the ministry (διακονία - diakonia): This term refers to service, especially a sacred office or apostolic function. Paul consistently uses diakonia to describe his calling. Here, it specifies the way God's purpose is brought about. It's not just a message, but the entire active agency, administration, and execution of that covenant.
- of the spirit (τοῦ πνεύματος - tou pneumatos): This designates the source, character, and power of the ministry. It refers to the Holy Spirit, not human effort or wisdom. The Spirit is the life-giver, the empowerer of the New Covenant, and the agent of regeneration and transformation. This contrasts directly with "the letter" (τοῦ γράμματος - tou grammatos) mentioned earlier (v.6), which refers to the written law, perceived as external and incapable of bestowing life.
- be rather / be even more (μᾶλλον - mallon): This adverb of comparison signifies "more," "rather," "all the more," or "with much greater reason." It highlights the substantial qualitative and quantitative difference in glory between the two covenants. It sets up an argument from the lesser to the greater.
- glorious (ἐν δόξῃ - en doxē): Literally "in glory." Doxē (glory) in biblical usage signifies renown, honor, splendor, and the visible manifestation of God's presence and character. Paul is directly comparing the visible radiance of Moses' face (Ex 34) with the spiritual, internal, and permanent radiance of the New Covenant. This glory is of a superior quality and efficacy.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "the ministration of the spirit": This phrase denotes a ministry whose origin, substance, and power are wholly dependent on the Holy Spirit. Unlike a ministry defined by a written code or human ordinance, this one operates by the dynamic, internal power of God Himself. It implies a living, active, and transforming work that produces genuine spiritual change in people.
- "be rather glorious": This phrase directly addresses the comparative excellence and inherent superiority of the Spirit's ministry. The "glory" here is not just outward pomp but intrinsic, life-giving, and eternally effective. It speaks to a ministry that reflects God's true nature more fully and transforms individuals into His image, moving from one degree of glory to another (v.18).
2 Corinthians 3 8 Bonus section
The comparison between the two covenants implicitly links to the idea of new creation. The Old Covenant focused on rules for an old, fallen creation, leading to awareness of sin and death. The New Covenant, facilitated by the Spirit, empowers a new creation in Christ, giving life and righteousness where there was death and condemnation. This New Covenant glory, unlike the reflected and veiled glory of Moses, is an unveiled glory that allows believers to directly behold God's glory in Christ and be transformed by it (2 Cor 3:18). This verse underscores the Trinitarian nature of salvation: the Father's glory revealed, mediated through the Son, and applied and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Paul uses this argument to validate his own Spirit-empowered apostleship, showing his ministry aligns with God's ultimate and greater redemptive plan rather than being based on human credentials.
2 Corinthians 3 8 Commentary
2 Corinthians 3:8 acts as a pivotal conclusion to Paul's comparison between the two covenants, emphatically asserting the immeasurable superiority of the New. The rhetorical question drives home the obvious: if the Old Covenant, which brought condemnation and ultimately death (v.7), possessed a temporary and fading glory, how much more splendid must be the ministry of the Holy Spirit, which brings righteousness, life, and enduring transformation. This is a "glory" that surpasses, replaces, and outshines the former because it is a glory of spiritual indwelling rather than outward spectacle. The Spirit's ministry is marked by an internal, ongoing work that regenerates the human heart, inscribes God's law not on stone but on human hearts, and ultimately leads believers to progressively reflect Christ's own glory (v.18). It’s not about fleeting external radiance, but an eternal, inward, and deeply transforming power that emanates from God Himself through the Holy Spirit. This gives the believer direct access to God, an unveiled relationship, and the assurance of an eternally lasting hope.