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 | Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is… | Righteousness and Freedom |
| Rom 8:2 | For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free… | Spirit brings life and freedom |
| Rom 8:4 | so that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met… | Fulfillment of the law |
| Gal 3:21 | For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteou.. | Law cannot impart life |
| Jer 31:33 | "But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Isra.. | New Covenant promises |
| Heb 8:8 | For he found fault with them, saying, “Behold, the days are comi.. | New Covenant fulfillment |
| John 3:6 | That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born .. | Spirit births spiritual life |
| 1 Cor 15 | If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. | Natural vs. Spiritual |
| 1 Cor 6:17 | But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. | Union with Christ through Spirit |
| John 14:16 | And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper… | Promise of the Holy Spirit |
| Rom 7:7 | What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet .. | Law reveals sin |
| Rom 7:10 | the very commandment meant to bring life actually brought death. | Law's inability to give life |
| Heb 9:14 | how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the etern.. | Christ's blood purifies conscience |
| Gal 3:13 | Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse .. | Christ bears the curse of the law |
| Isa 61:1 | “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has ann.. | Spirit empowering for ministry |
| Luke 4:18 | “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, in order to proclaim good … | Jesus empowered by the Spirit |
| Acts 1:8 | But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon yo.. | Power of the Holy Spirit |
| 2 Cor 3:3 | You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on .. | Christ as the letter |
| 2 Cor 3:6 | for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. | Letter kills, Spirit gives life |
| 1 Pet 1:12 | It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves .. | Old Testament prophets pondered Spirit |
| Ex 34:29 | When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets … | Moses' glowing face |
| 2 Cor 4:6 | For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has sh.. | Light shining in hearts |
| Eph 3:16 | that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to b.. | Strengthened by the Spirit |
| John 1:14 | And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have se.. | Incarnation of God's glory |
2 Corinthians 3 verses
2 Corinthians 3 8 Meaning
The administration of the new covenant in Christ is far more glorious than the administration of the Old Covenant through Moses. The old covenant led to condemnation and death because of its inability to fully satisfy God's perfect righteousness, while the new covenant brings righteousness and life through the Holy Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3 8 Context
This verse is part of a larger argument in 2 Corinthians 3 where Paul contrasts the ministry of the Old Covenant (represented by Moses and the Law) with the ministry of the New Covenant in Christ. The previous verses (2 Corinthians 3:7-8a) described the diminishing glory of Moses' face, which represented the fading glory of the Old Covenant. Paul argues that the Old Covenant, though accompanied by divine glory, was a ministry of death and condemnation. In contrast, the New Covenant, empowered by the Holy Spirit, brings righteousness and abundant life. The immediate context emphasizes the superior permanence and transformative power of the Spirit's work in believers.
2 Corinthians 3 8 Word Analysis
- δὲ (de): (de) - a conjunction, "but," "and," "however." It connects this verse logically to the previous statement about Moses' fading glory.
- ὁ (ho): (ho) - the definite article, masculine nominative singular, "the." Refers to "Lord."
- Κύριος (Kyrios): (Kyrios) - "Lord." In this context, it can refer to God or, more specifically, to Christ, as identified by "the Spirit."
- τὸ (to): (to) - the definite article, neuter nominative/accusative singular, "the." Refers to "Spirit."
- Πνεῦμα (Pneuma): (Pneuma) - "Spirit," "wind," "breath." Here it refers to the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity.
- δὲ (de): (de) - "but," "and."
- ὁ (ho): (ho) - "the." Refers to "Spirit."
- Κύριος (Kyrios): (Kyrios) - "Lord." Here, "the Spirit of the Lord" points to the active presence and power of the Holy Spirit.
- ὅπου (hopou): (hopou) - "where," "in which."
- τὸ (to): (to) - "the." Refers to "Spirit."
- Πνεῦμα (Pneuma): (Pneuma) - "Spirit."
- Κυρίου (Kuriou): (Kuriou) - "Lord," genitive singular. "Of the Lord."
- ἐστιν (estin): (estin) - "is," third person singular present indicative of εἰμί (eimi).
- ἐλευθερία (eleutheria): (eleutheria) - "freedom," "liberty." This freedom is not political or social, but spiritual liberation from sin and the Law's condemnation.
Words-group analysis:
- "Now the Lord is the Spirit": This phrase equates or strongly links the "Lord" (referring to Christ, the mediator of the New Covenant) with the "Spirit." This signifies that wherever Christ is present, the Holy Spirit is actively working. The power and presence of Christ are manifest through the Holy Spirit.
- "and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom": This clause states the result or consequence of the Spirit's presence. This freedom is liberation from the bondage of sin, the power of the Law to condemn, and the inability to achieve righteousness on one's own.
2 Corinthians 3 8 Bonus Section
The transformation described is an inward reality. Unlike the external manifestation on Moses' face, the work of the Spirit in the New Covenant is a work of internal transformation. This internal change is the basis of Christian liberty, which is not license to sin but the freedom to live according to God's will, empowered by the Spirit. This contrast highlights the superiority of Christ's finished work and the New Covenant over the Mosaic Law. The Law reveals God's perfect standard and humanity's inability to meet it, thereby demonstrating the need for a Savior and the liberating power of the Gospel.
2 Corinthians 3 8 Commentary
The glory of the Old Covenant, as seen in Moses' radiant face, was temporary. The New Covenant, however, is characterized by the ongoing, indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, which brings true and lasting freedom. This freedom is from the penalty and power of sin, and it empowers believers to live righteously, not by their own strength or by adherence to the letter of the law, but by the Spirit's enabling power. This divine presence transforms individuals from the inside out, leading to genuine liberty in Christ.