1Are we beginning to commend (to stand together with) ourselves again? Or do we need, as some, commendatory letters to you or from out of you? 2You are our letter having been inscribed (written) in our hearts, being known and being known again through reading by all men, 3Being made apparent that you are a letter of Christ, having been ministered (deaconed, served) to by (under) us, having been inscribed not in ink, but rather with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but rather on tablets of fleshly hearts.

4And such confidence we have through Christ toward God. 5Not that we are sufficient (competent) from ourselves to reckon anything as from out of ourselves, but rather our sufficiency (competency) is from out of God, 6Who has made us sufficient (competent) ministers (deacons, servants) of a new covenant, not of the letter, but rather of the Spirit, for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

7But if the ministry (service, diakonia) of death, having been engraven in letters on stones, came into being in glory so as the children of Israel were not able to steadily fix their gaze unto the face of Moses because of the glory of his face which is fading (passing away, vanishing, brought down to no effect, bring to naught). 8How will the ministry (diakonia) of the Spirit not be more in glory? 9For if ministry of condemnation was in glory, then ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. 10For that which having been made glorious, has been made not glorious in this respect, because of the glory surpassing it. 11For if that which is fading away (passing away, bring to naught) was through glory, much more that which is remaining is in glory.

12Therefore having such hope, we use great (much) boldness of speech (freedom of speech, out-spokenness, openness, bold resolve, leaving a statement with resolve that is to be taken seriously), 13And not just as Moses, who would put a veil over his face that the children of Israel could not steadily fix their gaze unto the end of that fading away. 14But rather their thoughts (minds, purposes, latin-sensus) were hardened. For until this present day, the same veil remains unveiled upon the knowing again by reading (recognition, reading) of the old covenant, which in Christ is being removed (fading away, passing away). 15But rather unto this present day, when Moses is read (known again by reading), a veil lies upon their heart. 16But whenever one will have turned to the Lord, the veil is entirely taken away. 17Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom (liberty, latin-libertas). 18And we all having been unveiled in face, seeing reflected in a mirror (reflect as a mirror, beholding as in a mirror) the glory of the Lord, are being transformed (metamorphoo- changed in form after being with, latin-transformamur) into the same image from glory unto glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.