2 COR 3:8 Interlinear View

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 3:1–4:6: Confidence in the gospel of Jesus

The false teachers in Corinth were Jews (11:22). In this section, Paul wrote about some of the false teachings of these men. Since they were Jews, Paul referred to people and events in the Old Testament, such as the tablets of stone (3:3), Moses (3:7), and Moses’ veil (3:13). They probably brought letters from other false teachers who said the false teachers in Corinth taught truthfully (3:1–3). The false teachers taught that believers must obey the Jewish laws. But Paul said that believers follow the new covenant with Jesus and not the old covenant with the Jews (3:14). He also spoke against their secret and shameful ways and said that they corrupted God’s word (4:2). Throughout this section Paul also encouraged the believers to follow Jesus.

Other examples of headings for this section are:

The Ministry That Comes From Christ Is Greater Than Moses’ Ministry (GW)

The new covenant is greater than the law of Moses

3:8

will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious?

If that is true, will not the ministry led by the Spirit be even more glorious/full-of-splendor?
So surely the work of serving in/under the new covenant as the Holy Spirit guides will be even more full of glory/radiance!

will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious?: This is a rhetorical question. It emphasizes the fact that the ministry of the Spirit will be even more glorious. Translate this clause with that meaning. Some ways are:

As a rhetorical question. For example:
won't the agreement the Spirit brings to us be even more wonderful? (CEV)
can we not see that the ministry of the Spirit will be even more glorious?
As a statement. For example:
the ministry of the Spirit will certainly be even more glorious!
so surely the ministry of the Spirit will have even more glory.

the ministry of the Spirit: The word of may indicate that:

The Holy Spirit directs the ministry.
The ministry of believers is characterized by the Holy Spirit leading them to do the right thing.
The ministry brings the Holy Spirit.

Each interpretation is acceptable, but probably interpretation (1) is most in focus here.Thrall (p. 237) translates this text as “the agency of the Spirit.” She also says that the phrase “may be shorthand for ‘the agency which mediates a covenant characterized by the Spirit’” (p. 244). Translate in a way that allows one or more of the above interpretations. Many English versions use the phrase “the ministry of the Spirit,” as in the BSB, which allows for all of the above interpretations. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

the activity of the Spirit (GNT)

the ministry led by the Spirit

the ministry based on the Holy Spirit

ministry: Paul compared the ministry of the old covenant (3:7a) to the ministry of the new covenant here. The word ministry is the key word here. Translate this word as you did in 3:7.

be even more glorious: The word glorious refers to the power, majesty, and splendor of God and is represented by the mighty acts of God during this time of the new covenant. Paul compared this glory to the glory of the old covenant (3:7a–b). If possible, translate this word in a similar way to “glory” in 3:7b. For example:

be even more splendor-filled

be even more full of radiance

bring even more glory to God

General Comment on 3:7a–8

3:7b,c,d are information that is extra to the main point (3:8) and the comparison (3:7a,b). In some languages it is more natural to have the extra information either before or after the main point and comparison. For example:

^7aNow the ministry that brought death, ^7bwhich was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, ^7cso that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses ^7dbecause of its glory, fading though it was. So if it came with glory, ⁸will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious?

Now ⁸will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious than ^7athe ministry that brought death, ^7bwhich was engraved in letters on stone and came with glory, ^7cso that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses ^7dbecause of its glory, fading though it was?

The second example would need a combined verse reference (^7–8) at the beginning.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

πῶς οὐχὶ μᾶλλον ἡ διακονία τοῦ Πνεύματος ἔσται ἐν δόξῃ?

how (Some words not found in SR-GNT: πῶς οὐχί μᾶλλον ἡ διακονία τοῦ Πνεύματος ἔσται ἐν δόξῃ)

Paul does not ask this question because he is looking for information. Rather, he asks it to involve the Corinthians in what he is arguing. The question implies that the answer is “yes, it has much more glory.” If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea by using a strong affirmation. Alternate translation: [then the ministry of the Spirit will certainly be with much more glory.]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / pastforfuture

οὐχὶ & ἔσται

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: πῶς οὐχί μᾶλλον ἡ διακονία τοῦ Πνεύματος ἔσται ἐν δόξῃ)

Here Paul could use the future tense because: (1) he is stating an inference from something in the past, so the inference is future. Paul does not mean that the ministry will only have glory in the future. Alternate translation: [then is … not] (2) he is stating that the ministry will have glory in the future. He could mean that it only has glory in the future, or he could mean that it has glory in the present and will also have glory in the future. Alternate translation: [will … in the future not be]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

ἡ διακονία τοῦ Πνεύματος

the service ˱of˲_the Spirit

Here Paul uses the possessive form to describe the ministry that could: (1) lead to people receiving the Spirit. Alternate translation: [the ministry that provides the Spirit] or [the ministry that leads to the Spirit] (2) be accomplished by the Spirit. Alternate translation: [the ministry worked by the Spirit] or [the ministry accomplished by the Spirit]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἡ διακονία τοῦ Πνεύματος

the service ˱of˲_the Spirit

Here, the word ministry could refer primarily to: (1) the action of ministering. In this case, the word refers to how Paul and his fellow workers administered the new covenant. Alternate translation: [the service of the Spirit] or [the act of ministering that leads to the Spirit] (2) the system of ministry. In this case, the word refers to the new covenant or its principles. Alternate translation: [the system of the Spirit] or [the principles that lead to the Spirit]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

τοῦ Πνεύματος

˱of˲_the Spirit

Here, the word Spirit could refer to: (1) the Holy Spirit. Alternate translation: [of God’s Spirit] (2) the “spirit” of a person, or their mind or heart. Alternate translation: [of the spirit] or [of the heart]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

μᾶλλον & ἐν δόξῃ

more & in glory

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of glory, you could express the idea by using an adjective such as “glorious” or “great.” Alternate translation: [much more great]

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.

OET interlinear 2 COR 3:8

SR Greek word order

Section 3:1–4:6: Confidence in the gospel of Jesus

3:8

General Comment on 3:7a–8

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

OET interlinear 2 COR 3:8

SR Greek word order

Section 3:1–4:6: Confidence in the gospel of Jesus

3:8

General Comment on 3:7a–8

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

OET interlinear 2 COR 3:8