2 Corinthians 3:1-6

Holman Christian Standard Bible

Living Letters

3 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some, letters of recommendation to you or from you? ² You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, recognized and read by everyone.^{(A) 3} It is clear that you are Christ’s letter,^(B) produced^[a] by us, not written with ink but with the Spirit of the living God^(C)—not on stone tablets^(D) but on tablets that are hearts of flesh.^(E)

Paul’s Competence

⁴ We have this kind of confidence toward God through Christ. ⁵ It is not that we are competent in^[b] ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our competence is from God.^{(F) 6} He has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant,^(G) not of the letter,^(H) but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit produces life.