Anakalypsis / Unveiling the Word

2 Corinthians 3:6

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.

KJV

ὃς καὶ ἱκάνωσεν ἡμᾶς διακόνους καινῆς διαθήκης, οὐ γράμματος ἀλλὰ πνεύματος· τὸ γὰρ γράμμα ἀποκτέννει, τὸ δὲ πνεῦμα ζῳοποιεῖ.

Greek NT

qui et idoneos nos fecit ministros novi testamenti : non littera, sed Spiritu : littera enim occidit, Spiritus autem vivificat.

Vulgate

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.

ASV

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.

Douay-Rheims

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In the original Greek

16 distinct Greek words appear in this verse.

γάρ
gar
conjunction · 1036×
γράμμα
gramma
noun · 14×
δέ
de
conjunction · 2781×
διάκονος
diakonos
noun · 30×
διαθήκη
diatheke
noun · 33×
ζωοποιέω
zoopoieo
verb · 11×
καί
kai
conjunction · 8973×
καινός
kainos
adjective · 41×
οὐ
ou
particle · 1626×
πνεῦμα
pneuma
noun · 379×
ἀλλά
alla
conjunction · 636×
ἀποκτείνω
apokteino
verb · 74×
ἡμεῖς
emeis
pronoun · 862×
ἱκανόω
ikanoo
verb · 2×
ὁ
o
article · 19778×
ὅς
os
relative_pronoun · 1404×

Themes

Doctrines that cite this verse

Covenant

Historic Christian voices

18 passages from patristic writers, Reformers, and church catechisms citing this verse.

§859Jesus unites them to the mission he received from the Father. As "the Son can do nothing of his own accord," but receives everything from the Father who sent him, so those whom Jesus sends can do nothing apart from him,371 from whom they received both the mandate for their mission and the power to carry it out. Christ's apostles knew that they were called by God as "ministers o…
Source. Translated by J. Walker, J. Sheppard and H. Browne, and revised by George B. Stevens. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 11. Edited by Philip Schaff. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1889.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/210211.htm>. Contact information. The editor of New Adven…
Source. Translated by J. Walker, J. Sheppard and H. Browne, and revised by George B. Stevens. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 11. Edited by Philip Schaff. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1889.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/210212.htm>. Contact information. The editor of New Adven…
§30On the Cross then the Old Law died, soon to be buried and to be a bearer of death, [36] in order to give way to the New Testament of which Christ had chosen the Apostles as qualified ministers; [37] and although He had been constituted the Head of the whole human family in the womb of the Blessed Virgin, it is by the power of the Cross that our Savior exercises fully the office…
[Three Leaves from the Beginning.] 1. He who distinguishes in himself voice and meaning and things for which the meaning stands, will not be offended at rudeness of language if, on enquiry, he finds the things spoken of to be sound. The more may this be so when we remember how the holy men acknowledge their speech and their preaching to be not in persuasion of the wisdom of wor…
Chapter 1. Summary of the Foregoing Books, and Scope of that Which Follows. I. The man who fears God seeks diligently in Holy Scripture for a knowledge of His will. And when he has become meek through piety, so as to have no love of strife; when furnished also with a knowledge of languages, so as not to be stopped by unknown words and forms of speech, and with the knowledge of …
Summa Theologica · 2 passages
What kind of law is it? i.e. is it a written law or is it instilled in the heart? Its efficacy, i.e. does it justify? Its beginning: should it have been given at the beginning of the world? Its end: i.e. will it last until the end, or will another law take its place? Article 1. Whether the New Law is a written law? Objection 1. It would seem that the New Law is a written law. F…
Was the Blessed Virgin, Mother of God, sanctified before her birth from the womb? Was she sanctified before animation? Was the fomes of sin entirely taken away from her in virtue of this sanctification? Was the result of this sanctification that she never sinned? In virtue of this sanctification, did she receive the fulness of grace? Was it proper to her to be thus sanctified? …
The Gospel is opposed to the law. For the law works wrath and announces the curse, but the Gospel preaches grace and blessing. John says: "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." Yet it is most certain that those who were before the law and under the law, were not altogether destitute of the Gospel. For they had extraordinary evangelical…
1. When expounding the first Psalm, he gives a catalogue of the sacred Scriptures of the Old Testament as follows: It should be stated that the canonical books, as the Hebrews have handed them down, are twenty-two; corresponding with the number of their letters. Farther on he says: 2. The twenty-two books of the Hebrews are the following: That which is called by us Genesis, but…
The Formula affirms the proper distinction between Law and Gospel as the key to all Scripture. The Law reveals sin, condemns, and drives to repentance; the Gospel reveals Christ, forgives, and creates faith. It denies that the Gospel is a preaching of repentance or that the Law is a means of justification. It also denies that the regenerate are free from the Law's instruction, …
Basil argues that the Spirit gives life to all — a divine prerogative. It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. The law of the Spirit of life has set believers free. A creature cannot give what belongs only to the Creator; therefore the Spirit is uncreated God.
The Spirit is called the Lord and Giver of Life. It is the Spirit who raised Christ from the dead, the Spirit who gives life to our mortal bodies, the Spirit who makes the letter of the law come alive. To give life is the exclusive prerogative of God — no creature can bestow what it does not possess in its own right. Since the Spirit gives life, He must be God.
'Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord.' See Ps. cxix. 1. This is the longest Psalm, and its subject is the law of God, which the Psalmist praises from every angle. 'Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.' See Ps. cxix. 105. The Word of God illuminates every step; without it we walk in darkness. This Word is not the letter alo…

Cross-references

  • 1Cor 3:5 — Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
  • 1Cor 3:5 — Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
  • 1Cor 3:10 — According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
  • 1Cor 11:25 — After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
  • 1Cor 11:25 — After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
  • 1Cor 12:28 — And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
  • 1Cor 15:45 — And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
  • 1John 1:1 — That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
  • 1Pet 3:18 — For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
  • 1Tim 1:11 — According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.
  • 1Tim 4:6 — If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.
  • 2Cor 3:7 — But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glo
  • 2Cor 3:7 — But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glo
  • 2Cor 3:9 — For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
  • 2Cor 3:11 — For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.
  • 2Cor 3:14 — But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.
  • 2Cor 3:14 — But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.
  • 2Cor 3:17 — Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
  • 2Cor 4:1 — Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;
  • 2Cor 5:15 — And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
  • 2Cor 5:18 — And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
  • 2Cor 5:20 — Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
  • 2Cor 6:4 — But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
  • 2Cor 11:23 — Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.
  • 2Tim 1:11 — Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.
  • 2Tim 2:15 — Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
  • Col 1:23 — If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul
  • Col 1:25 — Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;
  • Col 2:13 — And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
  • Deut 27:26 — Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen.
  • Eph 2:5 — Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
  • Eph 3:7 — Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.
  • Eph 3:7 — Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.
  • Eph 4:11 — And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
  • Gal 3:10 — For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
  • Gal 3:21 — Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.
  • Gal 5:25 — If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
  • Heb 7:22 — By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.
  • Heb 8:6 — But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.
  • Heb 8:6 — But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.