who also has made us efficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit makes alive.
Then He said to them, "Therefore every scribe having become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure new and old things."
(just as it is written, "I have appointed you a father of many nations") before God, whom he believed, the One who gives life to the dead and calls those things which are not as though they were;
But now we were released from the law, having died in that to which we were held fast, so that we should serve as slaves in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.
Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me."
And those whom God has appointed in the church are: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, kinds of tongues.
According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise architect I have laid the foundation, but another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it.
Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am even more: in labors far more, in beatings immeasurably, in imprisonments far more, in deaths often.
But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is removed in Christ.
being made known that you are the letter of Christ, which was ministered by us, having been written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not in tablets of stone but in tablets of flesh, namely in hearts.
Now if the ministry of death, having been engraved in letters on stones, came to be with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look intently into the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, the glory which was passing away,
Therefore, is the law against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given which was able to give life, truly righteousness would have been by the law.
Instructing the brothers in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, being nourished by the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed.
For Christ also suffered once to atone for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring you to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive by the Spirit,
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have gazed upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life--