Darby Bible
2 Corinthians 3:6
6who has also made us competent, [as] ministers of [the] new covenant; not of letter, but of spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit quickens.
2 Corinthians 3:6 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
- New International Version (NIV)He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
- English Standard Version (ESV)who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
- New King James Version (NKJV)who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
Context of 2 Corinthians 3:6
4And such confidence have we through the Christ towards God: 5not that we are competent of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, but our competency [is] of God; who has also made us competent, [as] ministers of [the] new covenant; not of letter, but of spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit quickens. 7(But if the ministry of death, in letters, graven in stones, began with glory, so that the children of Israel could not fix their eyes on the face of Moses, on account of the glory of his face, [a glory] which is annulled; 8how shall not rather the ministry of the Spirit subsist in glory?
Read all of 2 Corinthians 32 Corinthians 3:6 word by word
ὃς καὶ ἱκάνωσεν ἡμᾶς διακόνους καινῆς διαθήκης, οὐ γράμματος ἀλλὰ πνεύματος· τὸ γὰρ γράμμα ἀποκτέννει, τὸ δὲ πνεῦμα ζῳοποιεῖ.Read the interlinear
Cross-references for 2 Corinthians 3:6
- 2 Corinthians 5:18and all things [are] of the God who has reconciled us to himself by [Jesus] Christ, and given to us the ministry of that reconciliation:
- Matthew 13:52And he said to them, For this reason every scribe discipled to the kingdom of the heavens is like a man [that is] a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old.
- Romans 1:5by whom we have received grace and apostleship in behalf of his name, for obedience of faith among all the nations,
- 1 Corinthians 3:5Who then is Apollos, and who Paul? Ministering servants, through whom ye have believed, and as the Lord has given to each.
- 1 Corinthians 12:28And God has set certain in the assembly: first, apostles; secondly, prophets; thirdly, teachers; then miraculous powers; then gifts of healings; helps; governments; kinds of tongues.
- Ephesians 3:7of which I am become minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me, according to the working of his power.
- Ephesians 4:11and he has given some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some shepherds and teachers,
- Colossians 1:25of which I became minister, according to the dispensation of God which [is] given me towards you to complete the word of God,
- 1 Timothy 1:11according to the glad tidings of the glory of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.
- 1 Timothy 4:6Laying these things before the brethren, thou wilt be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished with the words of the faith and of the good teaching which thou hast fully followed up.
- 2 Timothy 1:11to which I have been appointed a herald and apostle and teacher of [the] nations.
- 2 Corinthians 3:14But their thoughts have been darkened, for unto this day the same veil remains in reading the old covenant, unremoved, which in Christ is annulled.
- Jeremiah 31:31Behold, days come, saith Jehovah, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
- Matthew 26:28For this is my blood, that of the [new] covenant, that shed for many for remission of sins.
- Mark 14:24And he said to them, This is my blood, that of the [new] covenant, that shed for many.
- Luke 22:20In like manner also the cup, after having supped, saying, This cup [is] the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 3:6
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6Who hath made us able ministers - This is a more formal answer to the question, Who is sufficient for these things? ̔ ; 1 Corinthians 2:16. God, says the apostle, has made us able ministers; ̔ ̔ , he has made us sufficient for these things; for the reader will observe that he uses the same word in both places. We apostles execute, under the Divine influence, what God himself has devised. We are ministers of the new covenant; of this new dispensation of…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6Who also hath made us able ministers - This translation does not quite meet the force of the original. It would seem to imply that Paul regarded himself and his fellowlaborers as people of talents, and of signal ability; and that he was inclined to boast of it. But this is not the meaning. It refers properly to his sense of the responsibility and difficulty of the work of the ministry; and to the fact that he did not esteem himself to be sufficient for…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-6The old written covenant refers to the law of Moses as interpreted by Jewish rabbis. It results in death for those who see it as a path to salvation. The law is good (Romans 7:12–14), but those who try to earn merit through it fail. Earning merit through the law leads to either wrongdoing or pride. In both cases, the law brings condemnation (2 Corinthians 3:9).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. able--rather, as the Greek is the same, corresponding to 2Co 3:5, translate, "sufficient as ministers" (Ep 3:7; Col 1:23). the new testament--"the new covenant" as contrasted with the Old Testament or covenant (1Co 11:25; Ga 4:24). He reverts here again to the contrast between the law on "tables of stone," and that "written by the Spirit on fleshly tables of the heart" (2Co 3:3). not of the letter--joined with "ministers"; ministers not of the mere…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Corinthians 3:6
In the dictionaries
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
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