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Monday, October 7th, 2024
the Week of Proper 22 / Ordinary 27
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THE MESSAGE

2 Corinthians 3:8

This verse is not available in the MSG!

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Gospel;   Holy Spirit;   Law;   Minister, Christian;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Gospel, the;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Moses;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Corinthians, First and Second, Theology of;   Law of Christ;   Mediator, Mediation;   New Covenant;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Atonement;   Covenant;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Christianity;   Corinth;   Dispensations;   Feasts;   Hebrews, the Epistle to the;   Holy Spirit, the;   James, the General Epistle of;   Old Testament;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Time, Meaning of;   Veil;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Glory;   Moses;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Glory;   Glory (2);   Good;   Law;   Liberty (2);   Merit;   Minister Ministry;   Moses;   Moses ;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Commandments, the Ten;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Law of Moses, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Covenant, the New;   Galatians, Epistle to the;  

Parallel Translations

Simplified Cowboy Version
If the old code shined bright with God's glory but faded, how much more will the new one shine even brighter.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
how will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory?
Legacy Standard Bible
how will the ministry of the Spirit not be even more in glory?
Bible in Basic English
Will not the operation of the Spirit have a much greater glory?
Darby Translation
how shall not rather the ministry of the Spirit subsist in glory?
Christian Standard Bible®
how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious?
World English Bible
won't service of the Spirit be with much more glory?
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
For if the ministration of condemnation was glory,
Weymouth's New Testament
will not the service of the Spirit be far more glorious?
King James Version (1611)
How shall not the ministration of the spirit, be rather glorious?
Literal Translation
how much rather the ministry of the Spirit will be in glory!
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
how shal not ye mynistracion of ye sprete be moch more glorious?
Mace New Testament (1729)
shall not the ministration of the spirit be more glorious?
Amplified Bible
how will the ministry of the Spirit [the new covenant which allows us to be Spirit-filled] fail to be even more glorious and splendid?
American Standard Version
how shall not rather the ministration of the spirit be with glory?
Revised Standard Version
will not the dispensation of the Spirit be attended with greater splendor?
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
why shall not the ministracion of the sprete be moche more glorious?
Update Bible Version
how shall not rather the service of the spirit be with glory?
Webster's Bible Translation
How shall not the ministration of the Spirit be rather glorious?
Young's Literal Translation
how shall the ministration of the Spirit not be more in glory?
New Century Version
So surely the new way that brings the Spirit has even more glory.
New English Translation
how much more glorious will the ministry of the Spirit be?
Berean Standard Bible
will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious?
Contemporary English Version
So won't the agreement that the Spirit brings to us be even more wonderful?
Complete Jewish Bible
won't the working of the Spirit be accompanied by even greater glory?
English Standard Version
will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory?
Geneva Bible (1587)
Howe shall not the ministration of the Spirite be more glorious?
George Lamsa Translation
Why then shall not the ministration of the Spirit be more glorious?
Hebrew Names Version
won't service of the Spirit be with much more glory?
International Standard Version
will not the Spirit's ministry have even more glory?Galatians 3:5;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
how much more then doth not the ministry Of the Spirit excel in glory?
Murdock Translation
how then shall not the ministration of the Spirit be still more glorious?
New King James Version
how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious?
New Living Translation
Shouldn't we expect far greater glory under the new way, now that the Holy Spirit is giving life?
New Life Bible
The new way of life through the Holy Spirit comes with much more shining-greatness.
English Revised Version
how shall not rather the ministration of the spirit be with glory?
New Revised Standard
how much more will the ministry of the Spirit come in glory?
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
How shall not, rather, the ministry of the Spirit, be with glory?
Douay-Rheims Bible
How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather in glory?
King James Version
How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?
Lexham English Bible
how will the ministry of the Spirit not be even more with glory?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Howe shall not the ministration of the spirite be much more in glorie?
Easy-to-Read Version
So surely the new agreement that comes from the life-giving Spirit has even more glory.
New American Standard Bible
how will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory?
Good News Translation
how much greater is the glory that belongs to the activity of the Spirit!
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
hou schal not the mynystracioun of the spirit be more in glorie?

Contextual Overview

7The Government of Death, its constitution chiseled on stone tablets, had a dazzling inaugural. Moses' face as he delivered the tablets was so bright that day (even though it would fade soon enough) that the people of Israel could no more look right at him than stare into the sun. How much more dazzling, then, the Government of Living Spirit? 9If the Government of Condemnation was impressive, how about this Government of Affirmation? Bright as that old government was, it would look downright dull alongside this new one. If that makeshift arrangement impressed us, how much more this brightly shining government installed for eternity?

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the ministration: 2 Corinthians 3:6, 2 Corinthians 3:17, 2 Corinthians 11:4, Isaiah 11:2, Isaiah 44:3, Isaiah 59:21, Joel 2:28, Joel 2:29, John 1:17, John 7:39, Acts 2:17, Acts 2:18, Acts 2:32, Acts 2:33, Romans 8:9-16, 1 Corinthians 3:16, 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, Galatians 3:2-5, Galatians 3:14, Galatians 5:5, Galatians 5:22, Galatians 5:23, Ephesians 2:18, 2 Thessalonians 2:13, 1 Peter 1:2, Jude 1:19, Jude 1:20

Reciprocal: Exodus 31:18 - the finger Isaiah 32:15 - the spirit Jeremiah 31:33 - I will Acts 6:15 - saw 2 Corinthians 4:4 - lest Galatians 3:5 - that Ephesians 4:12 - the work 1 Timothy 1:11 - glorious Hebrews 8:10 - I will put

Cross-References

Genesis 3:1
The serpent was clever, more clever than any wild animal God had made. He spoke to the Woman: "Do I understand that God told you not to eat from any tree in the garden?"
Genesis 3:2
The Woman said to the serpent, "Not at all. We can eat from the trees in the garden. It's only about the tree in the middle of the garden that God said, ‘Don't eat from it; don't even touch it or you'll die.'"
Genesis 3:9
God called to the Man: "Where are you?"
Genesis 3:10
He said, "I heard you in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked. And I hid."
Genesis 3:12
The Man said, "The Woman you gave me as a companion, she gave me fruit from the tree, and, yes, I ate it." God said to the Woman, "What is this that you've done?"
Genesis 3:21
God made leather clothing for Adam and his wife and dressed them.
Genesis 3:22
God said, "The Man has become like one of us, capable of knowing everything, ranging from good to evil. What if he now should reach out and take fruit from the Tree-of-Life and eat, and live forever? Never—this cannot happen!"
Deuteronomy 5:25
Moses Teaches Israel on the Plains of Moab Moses called all Israel together. He said to them, Attention, Israel. Listen obediently to the rules and regulations I am delivering to your listening ears today. Learn them. Live them. God , our God, made a covenant with us at Horeb. God didn't just make this covenant with our parents; he made it also with us, with all of us who are alive right now. God spoke to you personally out of the fire on the mountain. At the time I stood between God and you, to tell you what God said. You were afraid, remember, of the fire and wouldn't climb the mountain. He said: I am God , your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of a house of slaves. No other gods, only me. No carved gods of any size, shape, or form of anything whatever, whether of things that fly or walk or swim. Don't bow down to them and don't serve them because I am God, your God, and I'm a most jealous God. I hold parents responsible for any sins they pass on to their children to the third, and yes, even to the fourth generation. But I'm lovingly loyal to the thousands who love me and keep my commandments. No using the name of God , your God, in curses or silly banter; God won't put up with the irreverent use of his name. No working on the Sabbath; keep it holy just as God , your God, commanded you. Work six days, doing everything you have to do, but the seventh day is a Sabbath, a Rest Day—no work: not you, your son, your daughter, your servant, your maid, your ox, your donkey (or any of your animals), and not even the foreigner visiting your town. That way your servants and maids will get the same rest as you. Don't ever forget that you were slaves in Egypt and God , your God, got you out of there in a powerful show of strength. That's why God , your God, commands you to observe the day of Sabbath rest. Respect your father and mother— God , your God, commands it! You'll have a long life; the land that God is giving you will treat you well. No murder. No adultery. No stealing. No lies about your neighbor. No coveting your neighbor's wife. And no lusting for his house, field, servant, maid, ox, or donkey either—nothing that belongs to your neighbor! These are the words that God spoke to the whole congregation at the mountain. He spoke in a tremendous voice from the fire and cloud and dark mist. And that was it. No more words. Then he wrote them on two slabs of stone and gave them to me. As it turned out, when you heard the Voice out of that dark cloud and saw the mountain on fire, you approached me, all the heads of your tribes and your leaders, and said, "Our God has revealed to us his glory and greatness. We've heard him speak from the fire today! We've seen that God can speak to humans and they can still live. But why risk it further? This huge fire will devour us if we stay around any longer. If we hear God 's voice anymore, we'll die for sure. Has anyone ever known of anyone who has heard the Voice of God the way we have and lived to tell the story? "From now on, you go and listen to what God , our God, says and then tell us what God tells you. We'll listen and we'll do it." God heard what you said to me and told me, "I've heard what the people said to you. They're right—good and true words. What I wouldn't give if they'd always feel this way, continuing to revere me and always keep all my commands; they'd have a good life forever, they and their children! "Go ahead and tell them to go home to their tents. But you, you stay here with me so I can tell you every commandment and all the rules and regulations that you must teach them so they'll know how to live in the land that I'm giving them as their own." So be very careful to act exactly as God commands you. Don't veer off to the right or the left. Walk straight down the road God commands so that you'll have a good life and live a long time in the land that you're about to possess.
Job 38:1
And now, finally, God answered Job from the eye of a violent storm. He said:
Proverbs 15:3
God doesn't miss a thing— he's alert to good and evil alike.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

How shall not the ministration of the Spirit,.... By "the ministration of the Spirit", is meant the Gospel; so called not only because it ministers spiritual things, as peace, pardon, righteousness and salvation, spiritual joy and comfort, and even spiritual life; but because it ministers the Spirit of God himself, by whom it is not only dictated, and by him at first confirmed, and who qualities persons for the preaching of it; but by it he conveys himself into the hearts of men, and makes it powerful for illumination, consolation, edification, and an increase of every grace; and therefore must be rather glorious, or much more glorious than the law, the ministration of death.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

How shall not the ministration of the Spirit - This is an argument from the less to the greater. Several things in it are worthy of notice:

(1) The proper contrast to the “ministration of death” 2 Corinthians 3:7, would have been ‘ministration of life.’ But Paul chose rather to call it the ‘ministration of the spirit;’ as the source of life; or as conferring higher dignity on the gospel than to have called it simply the ministration of life.

(2) By the “Spirit” here is manifestly meant the Holy Spirit; and the whole phrase denotes the gospel, or the preaching of the gospel, by which eminently the Holy Spirit is imparted.

(3) It is the high honor of the gospel ministry, that it is the means by which the Holy Spirit is imparted to human beings. It is designed to secure the salvation of people by his agency; and it is through the ministry that the Holy Spirit is imparted, the heart renewed, and the soul saved. The work of the ministry is, therefore, the most important and honorable in which man can engage.

Be rather glorious -

(1) Because that of Moses tended to death; this to life.

(2) Because that was engraved on stone; this is engraved on the heart.

(3) Because that was the mere giving of a law; this is connected with the renovating influences of the Holy Spirit.

(4) Because that was soon to pass away. All the magnificence of the scene was soon to vanish. But this is to remain. Its influence and effect are to he everlasting. It is to stretch into eternity; and its main glory is to be witnessed in souls renewed and saved; and amidst the splendors of heaven. “The work of the Spirit of God on the heart of a rational being, is much more important than any dead characters which can be engraved on insensible stones” - Doddridge.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Corinthians 3:8. The ministration of the Spirit — The Gospel dispensation, which gives the true spiritual sense of the law.

Be rather glorious? — Forasmuch as the thing signified is of infinitely more consequence than that by which it is signified. The THING bread will preserve a man alive; the WORD bread can give life to nothing.


 
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