• 2 Corinthians 3:3
    The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures

    • 3 φανερούμενοι (ones) being manifested ὅτι because ἐστὲ YOU are ἐπιστολὴ letter Χριστοῦ of Christ διακονηθεῖσα (one) having been served ὑφ’ by ἡμῶν, us, ἐνγεγραμμένη (one) having been inscribed οὐ not μέλανι to black [ink] ἀλλὰ but πνεύματι to spirit θεοῦ of God ζῶντος, living, οὐκ not ἐν in πλαξὶν tablets λιθίναις stony ἀλλ’ but ἐν in πλαξὶν tablets καρδίαις to hearts σαρκίναις. fleshly.

  • 2 Corinthians 3:3
    American Standard Version

    • 3 being made manifest that ye are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in tables that are hearts of flesh.

  • 2 Corinthians 3:3
    The Emphasized Bible

    • 3 Manifesting yourselves that ye are a letter of Christ ministered by us,—Inscribed—Not with ink But with [the] Spirit of a Living God, Not in tablets of stone But in tablets [which are] hearts of flesh.

  • 2 Corinthians 3:3
    King James Version

    • 3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

  • 2 Corinthians Study Notes—Chapter 3
    New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition)

    • 3:3

      a letter of Christ written by us as ministers: Jesus Christ selected Paul to be “a chosen vessel” and “to bear [Christ’s] name to the [non-Jewish] nations” (Ac 9:15), and he used Paul as his minister in writing such a letter of recommendation. Every Sabbath, Paul preached in Corinth to win over both Jews and Greeks. (Ac 18:4-11) Paul could not have written such a letter on his own initiative, for Jesus had told his disciples: “Apart from me you can do nothing at all.”​—Joh 15:5.

      on fleshly tablets, on hearts: Or “on tablets, on hearts of flesh” or “on tablets of human hearts.” The Law of Moses was written on stone tablets. (Ex 31:18; 34:1) In this context, the Law covenant is contrasted with the new covenant that was promised in Jeremiah’s prophecy, where Jehovah declares: “I will put my law within them, and in their heart I will write it.” (Jer 31:31-33) Ezekiel prophesied about the releasing of God’s people from Babylonian captivity, describing how Jehovah would remove “the heart of stone,” that is, the unresponsive heart, and give them “a heart of flesh,” that is, a soft, pliable, obedient heart, one sensitive to God’s guidance.​—Eze 11:19; 36:26.