II Corinthians 3:16
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But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
Moses took off the veil on entering into the presence of the Lord. So as to the Israelites whom Moses represents, "whensoever their heart (it) turns (not as English Version, 'shall turn') to the Lord, the veil is (by the very fact; not as English Version, 'shall be') taken away." Exo 34:34 is the allusion; not Exo 34:30-31, as ALFORD thinks. Whenever the Israelites turn to the Lord, who is the Spirit of the law, the veil is taken off their hearts in the presence of the Lord: as the literal veil was taken off by Moses in going before God: no longer resting on the dead letter, the veil, they by the Spirit commune with God and with the inner spirit of the Mosaic covenant (which answers to the glory of Moses' face unveiled in God's presence).
Open source ↗The apostle makes an apology for his seeming to commend himself, and is careful not to assume too much to himself, but to ascribe all praise unto God (Co2 3:1-5). He then draws a comparison between the Old Testament and the New, and shows the excellency of the later above the former (Co2 3:6-11), whence he infers what is the duty of gospel ministers, and the advantage of those who live under the gospel above those who lived under the law (Co2 3:12 to the end).
Open source ↗3:16-18 The believer who turns to the Lord has freedom in the Spirit. We receive something Moses never knew as we become more and more like Christ (4:4; John 1:1-14; Col 1:15; Heb 1:1-4) and reflect the glory of the Lord. Divine glory in this present life leads to our being like Christ in the next life (Rom 8:29; Gal 4:19; Phil 3:21; 1 Jn 3:2).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
But whenever Moses went in before the LORD to speak with Him, he would remove the veil until he came out. And when he came out, he would tell the Israelites what he had been commanded,
On this mountain He will swallow up the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations;
On that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll, and out of the deep darkness the eyes of the blind will see.
And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
No longer will each man teach his neighbor or his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ because they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquities and will remember their sins no more.”
Let us examine and test our ways, and turn back to the LORD.
Then all your sons will be taught by the LORD, and great will be their prosperity.
if you obey the LORD your God by keeping His commandments and statutes that are written in this Book of the Law, and if you turn to Him with all your heart and with all your soul.
When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days you will return to the LORD your God and listen to His voice.