Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?

Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you?

Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:

You yourselves are our letter, inscribed on our hearts, known and read by everyone.

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.

It is clear that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:

Such confidence before God is ours through Christ.

Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;

Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim that anything comes from us, but our competence comes from God.

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.

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.