2 Corinthians 3:18

2 Corinthians 3:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
• New International Version (NIV)And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Context of 2 Corinthians 3:18

16but whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. But we all, with unveiled faces, looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 3:18 word by word

ἡμεῖς δὲ πάντες ἀνακεκαλυμμένῳ προσώπῳ τὴν δόξαν κυρίου κατοπτριζόμενοι, τὴν αὐτὴν εἰκόνα μεταμορφούμεθα ἀπὸ δόξης εἰς δόξαν καθάπερ ἀπὸ κυρίου πνεύματος.¶Read the interlinear

• But we allπᾶςpas · allG3956
• with unveiledἀνακαλύπτωanakaluptō · to unveilG343
• facesπρόσωπονprosōpon · faceG4383
• lookingκατοπτρίζωkatoptrizomai · to reflectG2734
• gloryδόξαdoxa · gloryG1391
• of the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
• transformedμεταμορφόωmetamorphoō · to transformG3339
• into the sameαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• imageεἰκώνeikōn · imageG1504
• justκαθάπερkathaper · just asG2509
• the Spiritπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151

Cross-references for 2 Corinthians 3:18

• 2 Corinthians 3:13and we are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel would not stare at the end of what was fading away.
• 1 Corinthians 13:12For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully, just as I also have been fully known.
• James 1:23For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror;
• 2 Corinthians 4:4in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they will not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
• John 1:14And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
• John 12:41These things Isaiah said because he saw His glory, and he spoke about Him.
• 1 Timothy 1:11according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.
• 2 Corinthians 5:17Therefore if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
• Romans 8:29For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters;
• Romans 12:2And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
• Romans 13:14But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.
• 1 Corinthians 15:49Just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly.
• Galatians 6:15For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.
• Ephesians 4:22that, in reference to your former way of life, you are to rid yourselves of the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit,
• Colossians 3:10and have put on the new self, which is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created it--
• 2 Peter 1:5Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge,

Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 3:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18But we all, with open face - The Jews were not able to look on the face of Moses, the mediator of the old covenant, and therefore he was obliged to veil it; but all we Christians, with face uncovered, behold, as clearly as we can see our own natural face in a mirror, the glorious promises and privileges of the Gospel of Christ; and while we contemplate, we anticipate them by desire and hope, and apprehend them by faith, and are changed from the glory…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18But we all - All Christians. The discussion in the chapter has related mainly to the apostles; but this declaration seems evidently to refer to all Christians, as distinguished from the Jews. With open face - compare note on 1 Corinthians 13:12. Tyndale renders this: “and now the Lord‘s glory appeareth in us all as in a glass.” The sense is, “with unveiled face,” alluding to the fact 2 Corinthians 3:13 that the face of Moses was veiled, so that the…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-18Verses 12-18 It is the duty of the ministers of the gospel to use great plainness, or clearness, of speech. The Old Testament believers had only cloudy and passing glimpses of that glorious Saviour, and unbelievers looked no further than to the outward institution. But the great precepts of the gospel, believe, love, obey, are truths stated as clearly as possible. And the whole doctrine of Christ crucified, is made as plain as human language can make it…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16-18Believers who turn to the Lord find freedom in the Spirit. We gain something Moses never experienced as we become more like Christ (4:4; John 1:1–14; Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:1–4) and reflect the Lord's glory. Experiencing divine glory in this life helps us become like Christ in the next life (Romans 8:29; Galatians 4:19; Philippians 3:21; 1 John 3:2).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 14-1814-18. Parenthetical: Of Christians in general. He resumes the subject of the ministry, 2Co 4:1. minds--Greek, "mental perceptions"; "understandings." blinded--rather, "hardened." The opposite to "looking steadfastly at the end" of the law (2Co 3:13). The veil on Moses' face is further typical of the veil that is on their hearts. untaken away ... which veil--rather, "the same veil ... remaineth untaken away [literally, not unveiled], so that they do not…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Corinthians 3:18

• Glory
• Gospel
• Holy Spirit
• Image
• Mirror
• Mysteries
• Regeneration
• Symbols and Similitudes

In the dictionaries

• Corinthians, Second Epistle to the
• Moses
• Plainness
• Sufficiency
• Transfiguration, the
• Untaken
• Beholding
• Corinthians, Second Epistle to the
• Covenant, the New
• Eschatology of 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