Lectionary Calendar
Sunday, December 21st, 2025
the Fourth Week of Advent
Attention!
StudyLight.org has pledged to help build churches in Uganda. Help us with that pledge and support pastors in the heart of Africa.
Click here to join the effort!

Read the Bible

Good News Translation

2 Corinthians 3:8

how much greater is the glory that belongs to the activity of the Spirit!

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Gospel;   Holy Spirit;   Law;   Minister, Christian;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Gospel, the;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Moses;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Corinthians, First and Second, Theology of;   Law of Christ;   Mediator, Mediation;   New Covenant;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Atonement;   Covenant;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Christianity;   Corinth;   Dispensations;   Feasts;   Hebrews, the Epistle to the;   Holy Spirit, the;   James, the General Epistle of;   Old Testament;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Time, Meaning of;   Veil;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Glory;   Moses;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Glory;   Glory (2);   Good;   Law;   Liberty (2);   Merit;   Minister Ministry;   Moses;   Moses ;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Commandments, the Ten;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Law of Moses, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Covenant, the New;   Galatians, Epistle to the;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious?
King James Version (1611)
How shall not the ministration of the spirit, be rather glorious?
King James Version
How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?
English Standard Version
will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory?
New American Standard Bible
how will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory?
New Century Version
So surely the new way that brings the Spirit has even more glory.
Amplified Bible
how will the ministry of the Spirit [the new covenant which allows us to be Spirit-filled] fail to be even more glorious and splendid?
New American Standard Bible (1995)
how will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory?
Legacy Standard Bible
how will the ministry of the Spirit not be even more in glory?
Berean Standard Bible
will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious?
Contemporary English Version
So won't the agreement that the Spirit brings to us be even more wonderful?
Complete Jewish Bible
won't the working of the Spirit be accompanied by even greater glory?
Darby Translation
how shall not rather the ministry of the Spirit subsist in glory?
Easy-to-Read Version
So surely the new agreement that comes from the life-giving Spirit has even more glory.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Howe shall not the ministration of the Spirite be more glorious?
George Lamsa Translation
Why then shall not the ministration of the Spirit be more glorious?
Lexham English Bible
how will the ministry of the Spirit not be even more with glory?
Literal Translation
how much rather the ministry of the Spirit will be in glory!
American Standard Version
how shall not rather the ministration of the spirit be with glory?
Bible in Basic English
Will not the operation of the Spirit have a much greater glory?
Hebrew Names Version
won't service of the Spirit be with much more glory?
International Standard Version
will not the Spirit's ministry have even more glory?Galatians 3:5;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
how much more then doth not the ministry Of the Spirit excel in glory?
Murdock Translation
how then shall not the ministration of the Spirit be still more glorious?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Howe shall not the ministration of the spirite be much more in glorie?
English Revised Version
how shall not rather the ministration of the spirit be with glory?
World English Bible
won't service of the Spirit be with much more glory?
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
For if the ministration of condemnation was glory,
Weymouth's New Testament
will not the service of the Spirit be far more glorious?
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
hou schal not the mynystracioun of the spirit be more in glorie?
Update Bible Version
how shall not rather the service of the spirit be with glory?
Webster's Bible Translation
How shall not the ministration of the Spirit be rather glorious?
New English Translation
how much more glorious will the ministry of the Spirit be?
New King James Version
how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious?
New Living Translation
Shouldn't we expect far greater glory under the new way, now that the Holy Spirit is giving life?
New Life Bible
The new way of life through the Holy Spirit comes with much more shining-greatness.
New Revised Standard
how much more will the ministry of the Spirit come in glory?
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
How shall not, rather, the ministry of the Spirit, be with glory?
Douay-Rheims Bible
How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather in glory?
Revised Standard Version
will not the dispensation of the Spirit be attended with greater splendor?
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
why shall not the ministracion of the sprete be moche more glorious?
Young's Literal Translation
how shall the ministration of the Spirit not be more in glory?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
how shal not ye mynistracion of ye sprete be moch more glorious?
Mace New Testament (1729)
shall not the ministration of the spirit be more glorious?
Simplified Cowboy Version
If the old code shined bright with God's glory but faded, how much more will the new one shine even brighter.

Contextual Overview

6 it is he who made us capable of serving the new covenant, which consists not of a written law but of the Spirit. The written law brings death, but the Spirit gives life. 7 The Law was carved in letters on stone tablets, and God's glory appeared when it was given. Even though the brightness on Moses' face was fading, it was so strong that the people of Israel could not keep their eyes fixed on him. If the Law, which brings death when it is in force, came with such glory, 8 how much greater is the glory that belongs to the activity of the Spirit! 9 The system which brings condemnation was glorious; how much more glorious is the activity which brings salvation! 10 We may say that because of the far brighter glory now the glory that was so bright in the past is gone. 11 For if there was glory in that which lasted for a while, how much more glory is there in that which lasts forever!

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the ministration: 2 Corinthians 3:6, 2 Corinthians 3:17, 2 Corinthians 11:4, Isaiah 11:2, Isaiah 44:3, Isaiah 59:21, Joel 2:28, Joel 2:29, John 1:17, John 7:39, Acts 2:17, Acts 2:18, Acts 2:32, Acts 2:33, Romans 8:9-16, 1 Corinthians 3:16, 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, Galatians 3:2-5, Galatians 3:14, Galatians 5:5, Galatians 5:22, Galatians 5:23, Ephesians 2:18, 2 Thessalonians 2:13, 1 Peter 1:2, Jude 1:19, Jude 1:20

Reciprocal: Exodus 31:18 - the finger Isaiah 32:15 - the spirit Jeremiah 31:33 - I will Acts 6:15 - saw 2 Corinthians 4:4 - lest Galatians 3:5 - that Ephesians 4:12 - the work 1 Timothy 1:11 - glorious Hebrews 8:10 - I will put

Cross-References

Genesis 3:1
Now the snake was the most cunning animal that the Lord God had made. The snake asked the woman, "Did God really tell you not to eat fruit from any tree in the garden?"
Genesis 3:2
"We may eat the fruit of any tree in the garden," the woman answered,
Genesis 3:3
"except the tree in the middle of it. God told us not to eat the fruit of that tree or even touch it; if we do, we will die."
Genesis 3:9
But the Lord God called out to the man, "Where are you?"
Genesis 3:10
He answered, "I heard you in the garden; I was afraid and hid from you, because I was naked."
Genesis 3:12
The man answered, "The woman you put here with me gave me the fruit, and I ate it."
Genesis 3:21
And the Lord God made clothes out of animal skins for Adam and his wife, and he clothed them.
Genesis 3:22
Then the Lord God said, "Now these human beings have become like one of us and have knowledge of what is good and what is bad. They must not be allowed to take fruit from the tree that gives life, eat it, and live forever."
Deuteronomy 4:33
Have any people ever lived after hearing a god speak to them from a fire, as you have?
Deuteronomy 5:25
But why should we risk death again? That terrible fire will destroy us. We are sure to die if we hear the Lord our God speak again.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

How shall not the ministration of the Spirit,.... By "the ministration of the Spirit", is meant the Gospel; so called not only because it ministers spiritual things, as peace, pardon, righteousness and salvation, spiritual joy and comfort, and even spiritual life; but because it ministers the Spirit of God himself, by whom it is not only dictated, and by him at first confirmed, and who qualities persons for the preaching of it; but by it he conveys himself into the hearts of men, and makes it powerful for illumination, consolation, edification, and an increase of every grace; and therefore must be rather glorious, or much more glorious than the law, the ministration of death.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

How shall not the ministration of the Spirit - This is an argument from the less to the greater. Several things in it are worthy of notice:

(1) The proper contrast to the “ministration of death” 2 Corinthians 3:7, would have been ‘ministration of life.’ But Paul chose rather to call it the ‘ministration of the spirit;’ as the source of life; or as conferring higher dignity on the gospel than to have called it simply the ministration of life.

(2) By the “Spirit” here is manifestly meant the Holy Spirit; and the whole phrase denotes the gospel, or the preaching of the gospel, by which eminently the Holy Spirit is imparted.

(3) It is the high honor of the gospel ministry, that it is the means by which the Holy Spirit is imparted to human beings. It is designed to secure the salvation of people by his agency; and it is through the ministry that the Holy Spirit is imparted, the heart renewed, and the soul saved. The work of the ministry is, therefore, the most important and honorable in which man can engage.

Be rather glorious -

(1) Because that of Moses tended to death; this to life.

(2) Because that was engraved on stone; this is engraved on the heart.

(3) Because that was the mere giving of a law; this is connected with the renovating influences of the Holy Spirit.

(4) Because that was soon to pass away. All the magnificence of the scene was soon to vanish. But this is to remain. Its influence and effect are to he everlasting. It is to stretch into eternity; and its main glory is to be witnessed in souls renewed and saved; and amidst the splendors of heaven. “The work of the Spirit of God on the heart of a rational being, is much more important than any dead characters which can be engraved on insensible stones” - Doddridge.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Corinthians 3:8. The ministration of the Spirit — The Gospel dispensation, which gives the true spiritual sense of the law.

Be rather glorious? — Forasmuch as the thing signified is of infinitely more consequence than that by which it is signified. The THING bread will preserve a man alive; the WORD bread can give life to nothing.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile