2 Corinthians 3:9 kjv
For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
2 Corinthians 3:9 nkjv
For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.
2 Corinthians 3:9 niv
If the ministry that brought condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness!
2 Corinthians 3:9 esv
For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory.
2 Corinthians 3:9 nlt
If the old way, which brings condemnation, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new way, which makes us right with God!
2 Corinthians 3 9 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Cor 3:9 | If condemnation was through the ministry of condemnation... | Contrasts covenants |
| Rom 8:1 | There is therefore now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. | New life in Christ |
| Gal 3:21 | For if a law had been given that could give life, righteousness would be by the law. | Law cannot give life |
| Heb 7:19 | for on the one hand a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness (for the law made nothing perfect); | Law's imperfection |
| Heb 8:6 | But as it is, Christ has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as he is also the mediator of a better covenant, enacted on better promises. | Christ's superior ministry |
| John 1:17 | For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. | Law vs. Grace |
| Jer 31:33 | "But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts..." | New covenant promise |
| Ezek 36:26 | And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. | Transformation by Spirit |
| Rom 3:20 | For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. | Law reveals sin |
| Rom 7:7 | What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I should not have known sin. | Law as knowledge of sin |
| 1 Cor 15:56 | The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. | Law and sin's power |
| Phil 3:9 | and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— | Righteousness through faith |
| Gal 5:23 | against such things there is no law. | Law's inability for good |
| Col 2:14 | by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. | Law nailed to the cross |
| Rom 2:13 | For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. | Doers of the law |
| 1 Pet 4:6 | For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way that all flesh is, they might live by the Spirit. | Living by the Spirit |
| John 6:63 | It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. | Spirit gives life |
| Rom 15:8 | For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, | Christ's service |
| 1 Cor 4:1 | This, then, is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. | Servants of Christ |
| Eph 3:6 | to be in Christ Jesus by the gospel. | Mysteries of God revealed |
| Heb 9:15 | Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. | Mediator of new covenant |
2 Corinthians 3 verses
2 Corinthians 3 9 Meaning
The verse conveys that while the old covenant administration led to condemnation and death, the new covenant administration brings justification and life through the Spirit. The glory associated with the old covenant's fading brilliance emphasizes the superiority of the new covenant, which does not fade but reveals Christ.
2 Corinthians 3 9 Context
This verse is found within the Apostle Paul's second letter to the Corinthians, specifically in the third chapter. Paul is contrasting the ministry of the Old Covenant (represented by Moses and the stone tablets) with the superior ministry of the New Covenant established through Jesus Christ. He has been describing the glorious, albeit fading, radiance on Moses' face, which veiled the Israelites' hearts from fully comprehending God's law. Paul is making the point that the Old Covenant's ministration, which he associates with condemnation and the letter of the law, cannot bring true righteousness. The New Covenant, in contrast, administered by the Spirit, brings justification and eternal life. This discussion occurs in a context where Paul is defending his apostleship and the efficacy of the gospel message against critics within the Corinthian church.
2 Corinthians 3 9 Word Analysis
- εἰ (ei) - "if" (conditional particle)
- κατάργησις (katargēsis) - "abolition," "making void," "dissolution" (used in a theological sense of making something cease to function). It is related to the verb katargeō meaning to make ineffective or bring to an end. This word underscores that the old covenant's power to condemn was effectively nullified by Christ.
- κατάκρισις (katakrisis) - "condemnation," "judgment." The Law, in its function of revealing sin and demanding obedience, necessarily led to condemnation when people failed to meet its perfect standard.
- διακονία (diakonia) - "ministry," "service." This word highlights the active function or work associated with each covenant. Paul is contrasting the ministry of condemnation with the ministry of righteousness.
- τῇ (tē) - "the" (definite article, dative case)
- γράφου (graphou) - "writing," referring to the law written on stone tablets (2 Cor 3:3, 7). It represents the written code of the Old Covenant.
- ἐν (en) - "in," "by," "through."
- δύναμις (dynamis) - "power," "might," "ability." The law had a certain power, but it was the power to accuse and condemn.
- ἐν (en) - "in," "by," "through."
- πνεύματι (pneumati) - "Spirit" (referring to the Holy Spirit). The contrast is between the external "writing" and the internal "Spirit." The Spirit's power is transformative and life-giving.
- ἐν (en) - "in," "by," "through."
- ἀγάπῃ (agapē) - "love." While not directly translated, some scholarly interpretations see this implicitly within the new covenant's transformative power through the Spirit, as love is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). However, the immediate textual focus is on righteousness. Note: Some critical texts do not include the word "agape" here.
- δικαιώσει (dikaiōsei) - "justification," "righteousness." This refers to the act of being declared righteous before God, not by works, but through faith in Christ, enabled by the Spirit.
- μάλλον (mallon) - "rather," "more," "all the more." This highlights the comparative superiority of the New Covenant ministry.
- διακονία (diakonia) - "ministry," "service."
- τῇ (tē) - "the" (definite article, dative case)
- πνεύματος (pneumatos) - "Spirit" (genitive case, belonging to). This reinforces that the superior ministry is directly empowered by the Holy Spirit.
- τοῦ (tou) - "the" (definite article, genitive case)
- πνεύματος (pneumatos) - "Spirit" (genitive case).
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "If the ministry of condemnation...": This phrase establishes the nature of the Old Covenant's impact. It wasn't inherently evil, but its function for sinful humanity was to condemn, as the law revealed sin and brought about the awareness of transgression.
- "...the ministry of righteousness": This stands in stark contrast, describing the New Covenant's function. It does not condemn but declares righteous, bringing sinners into right relationship with God.
- "ministry of condemnation...ministry of righteousness": This is a clear antithesis. Paul is not saying the law was useless; rather, its purpose as a means of "ministry" was for condemnation because of human inability to perfectly obey it. The new ministry is one of positive, life-giving righteousness through the Spirit.
- "through the writing...through the Spirit": This contrast highlights the medium or means by which each ministry operates. The Old Covenant was characterized by the external written code ("the letter"), while the New Covenant operates through the internal, empowering presence of the Holy Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3 9 Bonus Section
The use of "ministry" (diakonia) twice in this verse is significant. It implies an active, functional role for each covenant. The Old Covenant had a role to play in God's redemptive plan: to reveal sin and drive people to Christ. However, its ministry was ultimately one of "condemnation." The New Covenant, on the other hand, is a ministry of "righteousness," made possible by Christ's atoning sacrifice and the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. This shift highlights that the essence of God's relationship with humanity through Christ is not about human adherence to a set of rules for justification, but about God's Spirit working within believers, transforming them and enabling them to live in right relationship with Him. The Apostle Paul consistently emphasizes this thematic shift in his letters.
2 Corinthians 3 9 Commentary
The apostle Paul here sharply contrasts the ministries of the Old and New Covenants. The Old Covenant, signified by the written law on stone, effectively ministered condemnation because of humanity's inability to perfectly fulfill its demands. This ministry of condemnation, while exposing sin, offered no provision for justification. In stark opposition, the New Covenant, mediated by Christ and energized by the Holy Spirit, brings forth a ministry of righteousness. This new ministry is superior because it not only forgives sins but empowers believers through the indwelling Spirit to live righteously. The contrast underscores the freedom, life, and true standing before God available through Christ and His Spirit, transcending the limitations of the Mosaic law as a means of salvation.