2 Corinthians 3:7

“Now if the service of death, engraved in letters on stones, came in glory, so that the sons of Israel could not gaze at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, a glory that was being set aside,”
2 Corinthians 3:7 · direct translation from the Greek

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With the Greek beneath

NowδὲifΕἰthe serviceἡ διακονίαof death,τοῦ θανάτουengravedἐντετυπωμένηinἐνlettersγράμμασινon stones,λίθοιςcameἐγενήθηinἐνglory,δόξῃso thatὥστεthe sonsτοὺς υἱοὺςof IsraelἸσραὴλcould notμὴ δύνασθαιgazeἀτενίσαιatεἰςthe faceτὸ πρόσωπονof MosesΜωϋσέωςbecause ofδιὰthe gloryτὴν δόξανof his face,τοῦ προσώπου αὐτοῦa glorythat was being set aside,τὴν καταργουμένην

Allusion · Exodus 34:29-35

Go to Exodus 34:29-35

Paul rereads Exodus 34:29-35: the sons of Israel could not look at the face of Moses, which shone. That this glory “was being set aside” is Paul’s statement; Exodus does not say it.

They share words that are rare in the original, without a quotation.

πρόσωπονprosōponG4383פָּנָיpanayH6440“face”
ΜωϋσέωςMōyseōsG3475מֹשֶׁהmosheH4872“Moses”

2 Corinthians 3:7, word by word

the serviceδιακονίαdiakonia

service

One's task in God's work.

Where else “diakonia” appears

of deathθανάτουthanatou

death

The end of the body's life.

Where else “thanatou” appears

engravedἐντετυπωμένηentetypōmenē

engrave

Engrave, carve letters into a surface.

Where else “entetypōmenē” appears

lettersγράμμασινgrammasin

letter

A character of writing.

Where else “grammasin” appears

on stonesλίθοιςlithois

stone

A piece of hard rock, loose or cut.

Where else “lithois” appears

cameἐγενήθηegenēthē

happen

For an event to occur, for something to take place in history.

Where else “egenēthē” appears

gloryδόξῃdoxēi

glory

The greatness and splendor of God.

Where else “doxēi” appears

so thatὥστεhōste

so that

So much that, to the point that.

Where else “hōste” appears

the sonsυἱοὺςhuious

descendant

A descendant: "son of David".

Where else “huious” appears

of IsraelἸσραὴλIsraēl

Israel

Israel: the name God gave to Jacob, and the people descended from him.

Where else “Israēl” appears

could notδύνασθαιdynasthai

can, be able

Can, be able.

Where else “dynasthai” appears

gazeἀτενίσαιatenisai

stare at

Stare at, look intently, fix one's eyes on.

Where else “atenisai” appears

the faceπρόσωπονprosōpon

face

The front of the head, where the eyes and the expression are seen.

Where else “prosōpon” appears

of MosesΜωϋσέωςMōyseōs

Moses

Moses, who led Israel out of Egypt and received God's law.

Where else “Mōyseōs” appears

that was being set asideκαταργουμένηνkatargoumenēn

be done away

To come to an end, or stop having power over someone.

Where else “katargoumenēn” appears

Translation note

Exodus 34:29-35.

The context

6who also made us sufficient to be servants of a new covenant, not of letter but of Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

7 · This verse (above)

8how will the service of the Spirit not be even more in glory?

Read all of 2 Corinthians 3

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