2 Corinthians 3:16

2 Corinthians 3:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
• New International Version (NIV)But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

Context of 2 Corinthians 3:16

14But their minds were closed. For to this very day, the same veil remains when they hear the old covenant read. It has not been removed because only in Christ is it taken away. 15But until this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds, but when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is present, there is freedom. 18And we all, with unveiled faces reflecting the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another, which is from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 3:16 word by word

ἡνίκα δὲ ἐὰν ἐπιστρέψῃ πρὸς κύριον, περιαιρεῖται τὸ κάλυμμα.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Neverthelessδέde · thenG1161
• whenἡνίκαhēnika · whenG2259
• ·ἄνan · ifG302
• it shall turnἐπιστρέφωepistrephō · to turnG1994
• toπρόςpros · to/withG4314
• the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
• the vailὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the vailκάλυμμαkaluma · veilG2571
• shall be taken awayπεριαιρέωperiaireō · to take awayG4014

Cross-references for 2 Corinthians 3:16

• Exodus 34:34But when Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he would remove the veil until he came out. Then he would come out and tell the Israelites what he had been commanded.
• Deuteronomy 4:30In your distress when all these things happen to you in the latter days, if you return to the Lord your God and obey him
• Deuteronomy 30:10if you obey the Lord your God and keep his commandments and statutes that are written in this scroll of the law. But you must turn to him with your whole mind and being.
• Lamentations 3:40Let us carefully examine our ways, and let us return to the Lord.
• Hosea 3:4For the Israelites must live many days without a king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred fertility pillar, without ephod or idols.
• Romans 11:25For I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: A partial hardening has happened to Israel until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.
• Isaiah 25:7On this mountain he will swallow up the shroud that is over all the peoples, the woven covering that is over all the nations;
• Isaiah 29:18At that time the deaf will be able to hear words read from a scroll, and the eyes of the blind will be able to see through deep darkness.
• Isaiah 54:13All your children will be followers of the Lord, and your children will enjoy great prosperity.
• Jeremiah 31:34“People will no longer need to teach their neighbors and relatives to know me. For all of them, from the least important to the most important, will know me,” says the Lord. “For I will forgive their sin and will no longer call to mind the wrong they have done.”
• John 6:45It is written in the prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who hears and learns from the Father comes to me.

Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 3:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16When it shall turn to the Lord - When the Israelitish nation shall turn to the Lord Jesus, the veil shall be taken away; the true light shall shine; and they shall see all things clearly. There is an evident allusion here to the case of Moses, mentioned Exodus 34:34. When he came from the Lord, and spoke to the Israelites, he put the veil over his face; but when he returned to speak with the Lord, then he took off the veil. So, when the Israelitish nation…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Nevertheless - This is not always to continue. The time is coming when they shall understand their own Scriptures, and see their true beauty. When it shall turn to the Lord - When the Jewish people shall be converted. The word “it” here refers undoubtedly to “Israel” in 2 Corinthians 3:13; and the sense is, that their blindness is not always to remain; there is to be a period when they shall turn to God, and shall understand his promises, and become…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 3:16

• Israel, Prophecies Concerning
• Mysteries
• Veil

In the dictionaries

• Corinthians, Second Epistle to the
• Moses
• Plainness
• Sufficiency
• Untaken
• Conversion
• Corinthians, Second Epistle to the
• Covenant, the New
• Exodus, the Book of
• Galatians, Epistle to the

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