2 Kolinitō 3

1Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or from you?

1HE ʻoku mau toe kamata fakaongolelei atu ʻakimautolu? Pe ʻoku ʻaonga kiate kimautolu, ʻo hangē ko e niʻihi, ha tohi fakaongolelei atu kiate kimoutolu, pe ko e fakaongolelei mai meiate kimoutolu?

2You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all.

2Ko ʻemau tohi ʻakimoutolu, kuo tohi ki homau loto, kuo ʻilo pea lau ʻe he kakai kotoa pē:

3And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

3Kuo fakahā fakapapau atu ko e tohi ʻa Kalaisi ʻakimoutolu kuo meʻa ngāueʻaki ai ʻakimoutolu, kuo tohi kae ʻikai ʻaki ʻae vaitohi, ka ko e Laumālie ʻoe ʻOtua moʻui; ʻikai ʻi he ngaahi maka lafalafa, ka ʻi he kakano ʻoe loto.

4Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God.

4Pea ko e meʻa ʻia Kalaisi ʻoku ai haʻamau tui pehē ki he ʻOtua:

5Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God,

5Kae ʻikai hangē ʻoku maʻu mafai ʻiate kimautolu ke mahalo ki ha meʻa meiate kimautolu; ka ko e maʻu mafai ʻoku mei he ʻOtua;

6who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

6‌ʻAia foki kuo ne teuʻi ʻakimautolu ko e kau faifekau faʻa fai ʻoe fuakava foʻou; ʻikai ʻoe mataʻitohi, ka ʻoe laumālie: he ʻoku tāmateʻi ʻe he mataʻitohi, ka ʻoku foaki moʻui ʻe he laumālie.

7Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end,

7Pea kapau naʻe nāunauʻia ʻae ngāue ʻoe mate naʻe tohitongi ki he ngaahi maka, ʻaia naʻe ʻikai faʻa sio fakahangatonu ai ʻae fānau ʻa ʻIsileli ki he mata ʻo Mōsese, ko e meʻa ʻi he malama ʻo hono mata; ʻaia naʻe pau ke ngata:

8will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory?

8Pea ʻe ʻikai lahi hake ʻaupito hono nāunau ʻoe ngāue ʻoe Laumālie?

9For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory.

9He kapau ʻoku nāunauʻia ʻae ngāue ʻoe fakamalaʻia, pea ʻoku lahi hake ʻaupito hono nāunauʻia ʻoe ngāue ʻoe fakatonuhia.

10Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it.

10He ko ia naʻe ngaohi ke nāunauʻia, naʻe ʻikai hano nāunau ʻi he meʻa ni, ko e meʻa ʻi he nāunau ʻoku lahi hake.

11For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory.

11He kapau naʻe nāunauʻia ʻaia kuo fakaʻosi, tā ʻoku lahi ʻaupito hono nāunau ʻo ia ʻoku tuʻumaʻu.

12Since we have such a hope, we are very bold,

12Pea ko ia ʻi heʻemau maʻu ʻae ʻamanaki lelei pehē, ʻoku mau lea ʻilongofua lahi ai.

13not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end.

13Pea ʻikai hangē ko Mōsese, naʻa ne ʻai ʻae pūlou ki hono mata, pea naʻe ʻikai faʻa sio fakamamaʻu atu ʻe he fānau ʻa ʻIsileli ki he ngataʻanga ʻo ia kuo fakaʻosi:

14But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away.

14Ka naʻe fakakui honau loto: he ʻoku aʻu ki he ʻaho ni, ʻoku kei tuʻumaʻu ʻo taʻeueʻi ʻae pūlou ko ia ʻi he lau ʻoe fuakava motuʻa: ʻae pūlou ko ia kuo mole ʻia Kalaisi.

15Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts.

15Ka ʻoku aʻu ki he ʻaho ni, ʻoku kei ʻi honau loto ʻae pūlou ʻi he lau ʻo Mōsese.

16But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.

16Ka ko eni, “ʻOka tafoki ia ki he ʻEiki, ʻe toʻo atu ʻae pūlou.”

17Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

17Pea “ko e ʻEiki” ʻae laumālie ko ia: pea ko ia ʻoku ʻi ai ʻae Laumālie ʻoe ʻEiki, ʻoku ʻi ai ʻae tauʻatāina.

18And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

18Ka ʻoku tau vakai kotoa pē, ʻo mata taʻepūlou ʻi he sioʻata, ki he nāunau ʻoe ʻEiki, pea ʻoku tau liliu ki hono tatau mei he nāunau ki he nāunau, ʻi he Laumālie ʻoe ʻEiki.