New Living Translation
2 Corinthians 3:6
6He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life.
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
4We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. 5It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God. He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life. 7The old way, with laws etched in stone, led to death, though it began with such glory that the people of Israel could not bear to look at Moses’ face. For his face shone with the glory of God, even though the brightness was already fading away. 8Shouldn’t we expect far greater glory under the new way, now that the Holy Spirit is giving life?
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
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Whoὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- alsoκαίkai · andG2532
- hath madeἱκανόωhikanoō · to qualifyG2427
- usἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- able ministersδιάκονοςdiakonos · servantG1249
- of the newκαινόςkainos · newG2537
- testamentδιαθήκηdiathēkē · covenantG1242
- notοὐou · noG3756
- of the letterγράμμαgramma · something writtenG1121
- butἀλλάalla · butG235
- of the spiritπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
- forγάρgar · forG1063
- killethἀποκτείνωapokteinō · to killG615
- butδέde · thenG1161
- giveth lifeζωοποιέωzōopoieō · to make aliveG2227
Cross-references for 2 Corinthians 3:6
- 2 Corinthians 5:18And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him.
- Matthew 13:52Then he added, “Every teacher of religious law who becomes a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a homeowner who brings from his storeroom new gems of truth as well as old.”
- Romans 1:5Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority as apostles to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name.
- 1 Corinthians 3:5After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us.
- 1 Corinthians 12:28Here are some of the parts God has appointed for the church: first are apostles, second are prophets, third are teachers, then those who do miracles, those who have the gift of healing, those who can help others, those who have the gift of leadership, those who speak in unknown languages.
- Ephesians 3:7By God’s grace and mighty power, I have been given the privilege of serving him by spreading this Good News.
- Ephesians 4:11Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.
- Colossians 1:25God has given me the responsibility of serving his church by proclaiming his entire message to you.
- 1 Timothy 1:11that comes from the glorious Good News entrusted to me by our blessed God.
- 1 Timothy 4:6If you explain these things to the brothers and sisters, Timothy, you will be a worthy servant of Christ Jesus, one who is nourished by the message of faith and the good teaching you have followed.
- 2 Timothy 1:11And God chose me to be a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of this Good News.
- 2 Corinthians 3:14But the people’s minds were hardened, and to this day whenever the old covenant is being read, the same veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth. And this veil can be removed only by believing in Christ.
- Jeremiah 31:31“The day is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah.
- Matthew 26:28for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many.
- Mark 14:24And he said to them, “This is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice for many.
- Luke 22:20After supper he took another cup of wine and said, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice 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
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries