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2 Corinthians 3 · Grade 5

The Ministry of the Spirit

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Read and Think

Paul's opponents carried letters of recommendation. Paul replies that the Corinthian church itself is his letter, written on hearts and read by all. The image recalls the prophets' promise that God would one day write His law on hearts and replace hearts of stone with hearts of flesh. Paul's sufficiency comes not from himself but from God, who made him a minister of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit.

He then contrasts the two covenants with care. The old covenant, engraved on stone, came with such glory that Israel could not gaze at Moses' face. Yet that glory was fading, and the covenant brought condemnation because it exposed sin without giving power to obey. The ministry of the Spirit brings righteousness and life, and its glory is permanent and surpassing.

Paul reads Exodus 34 typologically. Moses veiled his face so Israel would not see the fading glory. A similar veil lies over hearts when the old covenant is read apart from Christ. Only in Christ is it removed. Whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. The Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. All believers, with unveiled faces, behold the Lord's glory as in a mirror and are transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.

Show What You Know

  1. What prophetic promise does the image of a letter on hearts recall?

  2. Why did the old covenant bring condemnation?

  3. When is the veil over hearts removed?

  4. How are believers transformed?

Crossword

42351

Across

  1. For if the service of condemnation has ____
  2. Not in ____ of stone
  3. A ____ lies on their heart

Down

  1. You are our ____
  2. Or do we ____

Think About It

  1. Paul says his sufficiency comes from God, not from himself. How does that free a person from both pride and fear in serving God?

  2. Transformation happens as believers behold the Lord's glory. What practices help you keep your eyes on Christ?

Memory Verse

“But we all, with unveiled face seeing the glory of the Lord as in a mirror, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit.”

2 Corinthians 3:18 (WEB)

Copy It

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for writing Your word on my heart. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

  • Where does true sufficiency come from?
  • What helps you keep your eyes on Christ?
  • What is one way you could live out this chapter this week?

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org. © 2026 The Daily Rooted. Free to print and copy for church and home use; not for resale. Original line art.