2 Corinthians, thread extracted from
But thanks be to God,
who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ
and through us spreads everywhere
the fragrance of the knowledge of him.
For we are to God the aroma of Christ
among those who are being saved
and those who are perishing.
To the one we are the smell of death;
to the other, the fragrance of life.
And who is equal to such a task?
...
Not that we are competent in ourselves to
claim anything for ourselves,
but our competence comes from God.
He has made us competent as ministers of a
new covenant
--not of the letter but of the Spirit;
for the letter kills, but the
Spirit gives life.
…
Therefore, since we have such a hope, we
are very bold.
We
are not like Moses,
who would put a veil over his
face
to keep the Israelites from
gazing at it
while the radiance was fading away.
...
Now the Lord is the Spirit,
and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is
freedom.
And
we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory,
are being transformed into his
likeness
with ever-increasing glory,
which comes from the Lord, who is
the Spirit.
Therefore, since through God's mercy we
have this ministry,
we do not lose heart.