2 Corinthians 3:7-17

7Moses wrote the words of the old agreement on pieces of stone. It showed how great and powerful God was. Moses' face shone brightly after God spoke to him. It did not stay bright, but the Israelite people still could not look at Moses' face. The old agreement that brought death was powerful.

8So the new agreement, which comes from God's Spirit, will show the power of God even more.

9The old agreement showed people that they were guilty. God's new agreement makes people right with him. So surely the new agreement shows God's power even more than the old one did!

10The old agreement was great and powerful at one time. But now God's new agreement has come in its place. The great power of the new agreement shows that the old agreement is no longer powerful.

11The old agreement was powerful, but it came to an end. God's new agreement will continue always. So it surely shows the power of God even more!

12So, because we know all this, we speak God's message bravely.

13We are not like Moses. His face did not continue to be bright with the light from God. So he covered his face with a cloth. He did not want the Israelite people to see that the light was coming to an end.

14But those Israelite people could not think properly. Even today, they still do not understand the message of God's old agreement. When they read it, they are like people who have a cloth that covers their minds. It continues like that unless they believe in Christ. Then Christ removes the cloth so that they understand.

15Even today, when the Israelite people read Moses' books, a cloth still covers their minds.

16But when a person turns to trust the Lord, then God takes the cloth away.

17The Lord is the same as the Spirit. And when the Lord's Spirit is with anyone, that person is free.