Bible Strands
2 Corinthians 3:8
will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious?
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Paul writes to the Corinthian church while building a rhetorical comparison between the old covenant's fading glory and the new covenant's surpassing glory. He poses a direct question to advance his argument about the relative splendor of their respective ministries.
The words — The Greek text employs μᾶλλον (mallon), meaning "more," and διακονία (diakonia), meaning "ministry," to frame a comparative inquiry. These terms establish the grammatical structure that contrasts the Spirit's work with the former administration.
The thread — The Spirit's covenant presence appears in Isaiah 59:21, where the LORD promises His Spirit will not depart from His people. Paul later addresses the Spirit's indwelling in 1 Corinthians 3:16 and believers' access to the Father through the Spirit in Ephesians 2:18.
Why it lands — The text presents a rhetorical question that demands the reader acknowledge the Spirit's ministry as superior to the old covenant's. It requires a practical shift in allegiance from a fading, external standard to a permanent, internal reality.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?
Cross-references
- 1 Corinthians 3:16 Do you not know that you yourselves are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?
- Ephesians 2:18 For through Him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
- Isaiah 59:21 “As for Me, this is My covenant with them,” says the LORD. “My Spirit will not depart from you, and My words that I have put in your mouth will not depart from your mouth or from the mouths of your children and grandchildren, from now on and forevermore,” says the LORD.
- Joel 2:28 And afterward, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.
- John 1:17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
- Galatians 3:14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing promised to Abraham would come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
- Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
- 2 Thessalonians 2:13 But we should always thank God for you, brothers who are loved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning to be saved by the sanctification of the Spirit and by faith in the truth.
- 1 Peter 1:2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father and sanctified by the Spirit for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by His blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.
- Isaiah 11:2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him—the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and strength, the Spirit of knowledge and fear of the LORD.