2 Corinthians 3:9

2 Corinthians 3:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
• New International Version (NIV)If the ministry that brought condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness!
• English Standard Version (ESV)For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.

Context of 2 Corinthians 3:9

7Now if the ministry of death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at the face of Moses because of its fleeting glory, 8will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? For if the ministry of condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry of righteousness! 10Indeed, what was once glorious has no glory now in comparison to the glory that surpasses it. 11For if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which endures!

2 Corinthians 3:9 word by word

εἰ γὰρ τῇ διακονίᾳ τῆς κατακρίσεως δόξα, πολλῷ μᾶλλον περισσεύει ἡ διακονία τῆς δικαιοσύνης δόξῃ.Read the interlinear

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• ifεἰei · ifG1487
• theὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• ministryδιακονίαdiakonia · serviceG1248
• of condemnationκατάκρισιςkatakrisis · condemnationG2633
• was gloriousδόξαdoxa · gloryG1391
• how muchπολύςpolus polos · muchG4183
• moreμᾶλλονmallon · moreG3123
• moreπερισσεύωperisseuō · to exceedG4052
• of righteousnessδικαιοσύνηdikaiosunē · righteousnessG1343

Cross-references for 2 Corinthians 3:9

• 2 Corinthians 3:6And He has qualified us as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
• Exodus 19:12And you are to set up a boundary for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful not to go up on the mountain or touch its base. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death.
• Exodus 20:18When all the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sounding of the ram’s horn, and the mountain enveloped in smoke, they trembled and stood at a distance.
• Romans 1:18The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness.
• Romans 8:3For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man, as an offering for sin. He thus condemned sin in the flesh,
• Galatians 3:10All who rely on works of the law are under a curse. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”
• Hebrews 12:18For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom, and storm;
• 2 Corinthians 5:21God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
• Isaiah 46:13I am bringing My righteousness near; it is not far away, and My salvation will not be delayed. I will grant salvation to Zion and adorn Israel with My splendor.
• Jeremiah 23:6In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is His name by which He will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness.
• Romans 1:17For the gospel reveals the righteousness of God that comes by faith from start to finish, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
• Romans 3:21But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, as attested by the Law and the Prophets.
• Romans 4:11And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but are not circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them.
• Romans 5:15But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many!
• Romans 10:3Because they were ignorant of God’s righteousness and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.
• 1 Corinthians 1:30It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God: our righteousness, holiness, and redemption.

Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 3:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9The ministration of condemnation - The law, which ascertained sin, and condemned it to just punishment. The ministration of righteousness - The Gospel, the grand business of which was to proclaim the doctrine , of justification; and to show how God could be just and yet the justifier of him who believeth in Jesus. Exceed in glory - For great, glorious, and awful as the law may be, in its opposition to sin, which is a reproach to man, and a dishonor to…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9For if the ministration of condemnation - Of Moses in giving the Law, the effect of which is to produce condemnation. Law condemns the guilty; it does not save them. It denounces punishment; it contains no provisions of pardon. To pardon is to depart from the Law; and must be done under the operation of another system - since a law which contains a provision for the pardon of offenders, and permits them to escape, would be a burlesque in legislation. The…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7-11The old covenant had moments of glory, like when the face of Moses shone from talking with the Lord (Exodus 34:29–35). The old way has been replaced by the new, eternal way (Hebrews 8:8–13).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. ministration of condemnation--the law regarded in the "letter" which "killeth" (2Co 3:6; Ro 7:9-11). The oldest existing manuscript seems to read as English Version. But most of the almost contemporary manuscripts, versions, and Fathers, read, "If to the ministration of condemnation there be glory." the ministration of righteousness--the Gospel, which especially reveals the righteousness of God (Ro 1:17), and imputes righteousness to men through faith…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Corinthians 3:9

• Glory
• Gospel
• Law
• Minister, Christian

In the dictionaries

• Corinthians, Second Epistle to the
• Plainness
• Sufficiency
• Untaken
• Corinthians, Second Epistle to the
• Covenant, the New
• Exodus, the Book of
• Galatians, Epistle to the
• Imputation
• Law in the New Testament

Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings