2Cor 3:13-18 | NETfull | STEP | and not like Moses who used to put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from staring at the result of the glory that was made ineffective.

2 Corinthians 3:13-18

13 and not like Moses who used to put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites ^{▼▼ Grk “the sons of Israel.”} from staring ^{▼▼ Or “from gazing intently.”} at the result ^{▼▼ Or “end.” The word τέλος (telos) can mean both “a point of time marking the end of a duration, end, termination, cessation” and “the goal toward which a movement is being directed, end, goal, outcome” (see BDAG 998-999 s.v.). The translation accepts the interpretation that Moses covered the glory of his face with the veil to prevent Israel from being judged by the glory of God (see S. J. Hafemann, Paul, Moses, and the History of Israel [WUNT 81], 347–62); in this case the latter meaning for τέλος is more appropriate.} of the glory that was made ineffective. ^{▼▼ Or “was fading away”; Grk “on the result of what was made ineffective.” The referent (glory) has been specified in the translation for clarity. See note on “which was made ineffective” in v. 7.} 14 But their minds were closed. ^{▼▼ Grk “their minds were hardened.”} For to this very day, the same veil remains when they hear the old covenant read. ^{▼▼ Grk “the same veil remains at the reading of the old covenant”; the phrase “they hear” has been introduced (“when they hear the old covenant read”) to make the link with the “Israelites” (v. 13) whose minds were closed (v. 14a) more obvious to the reader.} It has not been removed because only in Christ is it taken away. ^{▼▼ Or “only in Christ is it eliminated.”} 15 But until this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds, ^{▼▼ Grk “their heart.”} 16 but when one ^{▼▼ Or perhaps “when(ever) he turns,” referring to Moses.} turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. ^{▼▼ An allusion to Exod 34:34. The entire verse may refer to Moses, viewing him as a type portraying the Jewish convert to Christianity in Paul’s day.} 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is present, ^{▼▼ Grk “where the Spirit of the Lord is”; the word “present” is supplied to specify that the presence of the Lord’s Spirit is emphasized rather than the mere existence of the Lord’s Spirit.} there is freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled faces reflecting the glory of the Lord, ^{▼▼ Or “we all with unveiled faces beholding the glory of the Lord as in a mirror.”} are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another, ^{▼▼ Grk “from glory to glory.”} which is from ^{▼▼ Grk “just as from.”} the Lord, who is the Spirit. ^{▼▼ Grk “from the Lord, the Spirit”; the genitive πνεύματος (pneumatos) has been translated as a genitive of apposition.}