2COR 3:6 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed for doing comparisons of different translations. Click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) He qualified us as servants of a new agreement—not following it by the letter, but by the spirit, because following by the letter leads to death whereas following by the spirit gives life.

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, red:negative.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT who indeed made us competent as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit makes alive.

UST He has also enabled us to act on behalf of the new agreement. The Holy Spirit gives this new agreement, so it is not just words that someone wrote down. This is important because people who rely on the Holy Spirit will live, but people who rely on words that someone wrote down will die.

BSB And He has qualified us as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

BLB who also 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.

AICNT who also made us sufficient as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

OEB our fitness comes from God, who himself made us fit to be assistants of a new covenant, of which the substance is, not a written Law, but a Spirit. For the written Law means death, but the Spirit gives life.

WEBBE who also made us sufficient as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET who made us adequate to be servants of a new covenant not based on the letter but on the Spirit, for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

LSV who also made us sufficient [to be] servants of the New Covenant, not of letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, and the Spirit makes alive.

FBV He also gave us the ability to be ministers of a new agreement,[fn] based not on the letter of the law, but on the spirit. The letter of the law kills, but the spirit gives life.

3:6 Or “covenant.”

TCNT He has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

T4T He is the one who enables us (exc) to be his messengers. He has enabled us to tell people the message about the new agreement that he is making with them. This is not a message about obeying all the written laws of his old agreement that he made with the Jewish people. Instead, it is a message about God giving us his Spirit. Previously, God condemned people to be separated from him forever if they did not obey his laws. But by God’s new agreement his Spirit enables people to live eternally.

LEB who also makes us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit, for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

BBE Who has made us able to be servants of a new agreement; not of the letter, but of the Spirit: for the letter gives death, but the Spirit gives life.

Moff No Moff 2COR book available

Wymth It is He also who has made us competent to serve Him in connexion with a new Covenant, which is not a written code but a Spirit; for the written code inflicts death, but the Spirit gives Life.

ASV who also made us sufficient as ministers of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

DRA Who also hath made us fit ministers of the new testament, not in the letter, but in the spirit. For the letter killeth, but the spirit quickeneth.

YLT who also made us sufficient [to be] ministrants of a new covenant, not of letter, but of spirit; for the letter doth kill, and the spirit doth make alive.

Drby who has also made us competent, [as] ministers of [the] new covenant; not of letter, but of spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit quickens.

RV who also made us sufficient as ministers of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

Wbstr 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.

KJB-1769 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.
(Who also hath/has made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth/gives life. )

KJB-1611 [fn]Who also hath made vs able ministers of the New Testament, not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giueth life.
(Who also hath/has made us able ministers of the New Testament, not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth/gives life.)

3:6 Or, quickneth.

Bshps Which hath made vs able ministers of the newe testament, not of the letter, but of the spirite: For the letter kylleth, but the spirite geueth lyfe.
(Which hath/has made us able ministers of the new testament, not of the letter, but of the spirit: For the letter kylleth, but the spirit giveth/gives life.)

Gnva Who also hath made vs able ministers of the Newe testament, not of the letter, but of the Spirite: for the letter killeth, but the Spirite giueth life.
(Who also hath/has made us able ministers of the Newe testament, not of the letter, but of the Spirite: for the letter killeth, but the Spirite giveth/gives life. )

Cvdl which hath made vs able, to be mynisters of the new Testament: not of the letter, but of the sprete. For the letter kylleth, but the sprete geueth life.
(which hath/has made us able, to be ministers of the new Testament: not of the letter, but of the spirit. For the letter kylleth, but the spirit giveth/gives life.)

TNT which hath made vs able to minister the newe testament not of the letter but of the sprete. For the letter kylleth but the sprete geveth lyfe.
(which hath/has made us able to minister the new testament not of the letter but of the spirit. For the letter kylleth but the spirit geveth life. )

Wyc Which also made vs able mynystris of the newe testament, not bi lettre, but bi spirit; for the lettre sleeth, but the spirit quykeneth.
(Which also made us able mynystris of the new testament, not by lettre, but by spirit; for the lettre sleeth, but the spirit quykeneth.)

Luth welcher auch uns tüchtig gemacht hat, das Amt zu führen des Neuen Testaments, nicht des Buchstabens, sondern des Geistes. Denn der Buchstabe tötet, aber der Geist macht lebendig.
(which also us/to_us/ourselves tüchtig made has, the Amt to lead the Neuen Testaments, not the Buchstabens, rather the spirites. Because the/of_the Buchstabe tötet, but the/of_the spirit macht lifedig.)

ClVg qui et idoneos nos fecit ministros novi testamenti: non littera, sed Spiritu: littera enim occidit, Spiritus autem vivificat.[fn]
(who and idoneos we he_did ministros novi testamenti: not/no littera, but Spiritu: littera because occidit, Spiritus however vivificat. )

3.6 Qui et idoneos. Hic commendat se per dignitatem officii, scilicet Evangelii, præferens se non solum pseudoapostolis qui carnales observantias prædicant, sed et ipsi Moysi ministro legis.

3.6 Who and idoneos. Hic commendat se through dignitatem officii, scilicet of_the_Gospels, præferens se not/no solum pseudoapostolis who carnales observantias prædicant, but and ipsi of_Moses ministro legis.

UGNT ὃς καὶ ἱκάνωσεν ἡμᾶς διακόνους καινῆς διαθήκης, οὐ γράμματος, ἀλλὰ Πνεύματος; τὸ γὰρ γράμμα ἀποκτέννει, τὸ δὲ Πνεῦμα ζῳοποιεῖ.
(hos kai hikanōsen haʸmas diakonous kainaʸs diathaʸkaʸs, ou grammatos, alla Pneumatos; to gar gramma apoktennei, to de Pneuma zōiopoiei.)

SBL-GNT ὃς καὶ ἱκάνωσεν ἡμᾶς διακόνους καινῆς διαθήκης, οὐ γράμματος ἀλλὰ πνεύματος, τὸ γὰρ γράμμα ἀποκτέννει, τὸ δὲ πνεῦμα ζῳοποιεῖ.
(hos kai hikanōsen haʸmas diakonous kainaʸs diathaʸkaʸs, ou grammatos alla pneumatos, to gar gramma apoktennei, to de pneuma zōiopoiei.)

TC-GNT ὃς καὶ ἱκάνωσεν ἡμᾶς διακόνους καινῆς διαθήκης, οὐ γράμματος, ἀλλὰ πνεύματος· τὸ γὰρ γράμμα [fn]ἀποκτένει, τὸ δὲ πνεῦμα ζῳοποιεῖ.
(hos kai hikanōsen haʸmas diakonous kainaʸs diathaʸkaʸs, ou grammatos, alla pneumatos; to gar gramma apoktenei, to de pneuma zōiopoiei. )

3:6 αποκτενει ¦ αποκτεινει TR WH ¦ αποκτεννει ANT NA SBL TH

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

TTN Tyndale Theme Notes:

God’s New Covenant

God had promised to establish a new covenant with his people (Jer 31:31-34). This new covenant was initiated by Christ (see Luke 22:19-20), who removes the veil associated with the old covenant (2 Cor 3:14). Using the creation story of Genesis 1–2, Paul explains how the God of creation is also the God of the new creation (2 Cor 4:4-6; 5:17). God is now revealed in Christ, who brings God close to us.

In the new covenant, God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, is also our Father because he has enabled us to be adopted as his children (2 Cor 1:3; Gal 3:26–4:7). He is the faithful God whose Old Testament promises are fulfilled in the Messiah (2 Cor 1:18-22). And he is the author of reconciliation (5:18-21), as Christ became the means by which God won the sinful world back to himself. Jesus Christ became one with sinful humankind (see 8:9) and released God’s saving power and righteousness to restore the broken relationship between God and the world.

Under the new covenant, God sends his Spirit to dwell among his people. The Spirit gives believers life, freedom, and the ability to conform to Christ (3:6, 17-18). The Spirit unites us to Christ and serves as the guarantee of our complete salvation in the resurrection (1:22; 5:1-5), when believers’ mortal bodies will be transformed into glorified bodies (1 Cor 15:42-57). Paul gives a full account of this hope in 2 Cor 5:1-10. This will be the final outcome of the new covenant that God has established for his people.

Passages for Further Study

Gen 9:1-17; 12:1-9; 15:1-21; Exod 19:3-6; 2 Sam 7:5-16; 1 Chr 10:13-14; Isa 59:20-21; 65:17-25; Jer 2:1–3:10; 31:31-34; Matt 26:27-29; Luke 22:20; 1 Cor 11:23-32; 2 Cor 3:4-18; 4:4-6; Heb 8:6-13; 9:11-28; 10:1-25; 12:18-24

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / exclusive

ἡμᾶς διακόνους

us ˱as˲_servants

Here, just as in 3:1–5, the word us does not include the Corinthians. It could refer to: (1) Paul and those who proclaim the gospel with him. Alternate translation: “us, who preach the gospel, … as servants” (2) just Paul. Alternate translation: “me … as a servant”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

διακόνους καινῆς διαθήκης

˱as˲_servants ˱of˲_/a/_new covenant

Here Paul uses the possessive form to identify himself and his fellow workers as servants who serve for the benefit of a new covenant. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea in another way. Alternate translation: “as those who serve a new covenant” or “as servants who administer a new covenant”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / infostructure

οὐ γράμματος, ἀλλὰ Πνεύματος

not ˱of˲_/the/_letter but ˱of˲_/the/_Spirit

If your language would not naturally put the negative statement before the positive statement, you could reverse the two clauses here. Alternate translation: “of the Spirit, not of the letter”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

οὐ γράμματος, ἀλλὰ Πνεύματος

not ˱of˲_/the/_letter but ˱of˲_/the/_Spirit

When Paul contrasts letter and Spirit, he implies that letter describes the old covenant and Spirit describes the new covenant. What he means is that the old covenant was only written down and could not change people on the inside. On the other hand, the new covenant is empowered by the Holy Spirit, who can change people on the inside. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make this contrast more explicit. Alternate translation: “not a covenant of the letter that is powerless but a covenant of the powerful Spirit” or “not one that is only written down but one that the Spirit puts inside people”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

γράμματος & τὸ & γράμμα

˱of˲_/the/_letter & the & letter

Here, the word letter refers generally to a message written using sound-symbols called letters. More specifically, Paul uses the word letter to refer to the old covenant, a written document. It could not change people like the Spirit can. If it would be helpful in your language, you could refer to a message written in “letters”. Alternate translation: “in written form … what was written”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

γράμματος, ἀλλὰ Πνεύματος

˱of˲_/the/_letter but ˱of˲_/the/_Spirit

Here, Paul uses the possessive form to describe a covenant that is given or mediated by the Spirit, not by the letter. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea in another way. Alternate translation: “in letters but by the Spirit” or “mediated by letter but by the Spirit”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

Πνεύματος & τὸ δὲ Πνεῦμα

˱of˲_/the/_Spirit & the but Spirit

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

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / personification

τὸ & γράμμα ἀποκτέννει

the & letter the & (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὃς καὶ ἱκάνωσεν ἡμᾶς διακόνους καινῆς διαθήκης οὐ γράμματος ἀλλὰ Πνεύματος τὸ γὰρ γράμμα ἀποκτένει τὸ δὲ Πνεῦμα ζῳοποιεῖ)

Here Paul speaks as if the letter were a person who kills others. He speaks in this way to indicate that the letter (which refers to the old covenant and its regulations) does not have the power to give life but instead can only condemn people to die. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable figure of speech or plain language. Alternate translation: “the letter is like someone who kills” or “the letter dooms people to die” or “the letter causes death”

Parallel 2COR 3:6