2 Corinthians 3:15

2 Corinthians 3:15

But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.

a. NLT: Yes, even today when they read Moses’ writings, their hearts are covered with that veil, and they do not understand. [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

b. NIV: Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

c. YLT: But till to-day, when Moses is read, a vail upon their heart doth lie, [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

d. Amplified Bible Classic: Yes, down to this [very] day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies upon their minds and hearts. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

e. Worrell Translation: But, until this day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies upon their heart. [Copyright 1904 by A.S. Worrell. Copyright assigned to the Assemblies of God, Springfield, MO. This edition was published 1980 by the Gospel Publishing House, Springfield, MO 65802. Printed in the U.S.A.]

f. Wuest Translation: But even today, whenever moses is being read, a covering lies upon their heart. [The New Testament: An Expanded Translation by Kenneth S. Euest. © Copyright Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. 1961. All rights reserved.]

1. “But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.”

a. But [Strong: 235. alla al-lah' neuter plural of 243; properly, other things, i.e. (adverbially) contrariwise (in many relations):--and, but (even), howbeit, indeed, nay, nevertheless, no, notwithstanding, save, therefore, yea, yet.]

b. [even] unto [Strong: 2193. heos heh'-oce of uncertain affinity; a conjunction, preposition and adverb of continuance, until (of time and place):--even (until, unto), (as) far (as), how long, (un-)til(-l), (hither-, un-, up) to, while(-s).]

c. this day [Strong: 4594. semeron say'-mer-on neuter (as adverb) of a presumed compound of the article 3588 (t changed to s) and 2250; on the (i.e. this) day (or night current or just passed); generally, now (i.e. at present, hitherto):--this (to-)day.]

d. when [Strong: 2259. henika hay-nee'-kah of uncertain affinity; at which time:--when.]

e. Moses [Strong: 3475. Moseus moce-yoos' or Moses mo-sace', or Mouses mo-oo-sace' of Hebrew origin; (4872); Moseus, Moses, or Mouses (i.e. Mosheh), the Hebrew lawgiver:--Moses.]

f. [is] read [Strong: 314. anaginosko an-ag-in-oce'-ko from 303 and 1097; to know again, i.e. (by extension) to read:--read.]

g. the vail [Strong: 2571. kaluma kal'-oo-mah from 2572; a cover, i.e. veil:--vail.]

h. is [Strong: 1909. epi ep-ee' a primary preposition; properly, meaning superimposition (of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution (with the genitive case), i.e. over, upon, etc.; of rest (with the dative case) at, on, etc.; of direction (with the accusative case) towards, upon, etc.:--about (the times), above, after, against, among, as long as (touching), at, beside, X have charge of, (be-, (where-))fore, in (a place, as much as, the time of, -to), (because) of, (up-)on (behalf of), over, (by, for) the space of, through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), with. In compounds it retains essentially the same import, at, upon, etc. (literally or figuratively).]

i. upon [Strong: 2749. keimai ki'-mahee middle voice of a primary verb; to lie outstretched (literally or figuratively):--be (appointed, laid up, made, set), lay, lie.]

j. their [Strong: 846. autos ow-tos' from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

k. [Strong: 3588. [tēn] ὁ ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [tēn] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.] [Additional variants: tē, hoi, oi, tēn, ta, tēs, tois, tais, tō, tōn, tou, hé, ‘Hē  hē, hai, tas.]

l. heart [Strong: 2588. kardia kar-dee'-ah prolonged from a primary kar (Latin cor, "heart"); the heart, i.e. (figuratively) the thoughts or feelings (mind); also (by analogy) the middle:--(+ broken-)heart(-ed).]

1). The vail that Moses put on prevented the children of Israel from seeing the glory or shinning on Moses face fad away. The glory on Moses’ face eventually faded away, it may have been hours or days, the verse does not say. The critical point in this was that Israel was not able to see the glory on his face fade away. The Apostle Paul adds a much more serious meaning to Moses putting on the vail, preventing Israel from seeing the glory fade away. The simple act of Moses putting on the vail, prevented Israel from seeing not only the fading away of the glory on Moses face, it also prevented Israel from seeing the end, the completion, the fulfillment of the law in Christ Jesus. This truth is bolstered by a passage in Romans.

a). Romans 10:1-4 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.

10:2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.

10:3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

a). The Greek word for “end” in Romans 10:4 is the same Greek word used in 2 Corinthians 3:13.

2). The next verse in 2 Corinthians 3 establishes that Moses putting a vail on his face put a judgment or curse of blindness upon Israel that is there to this day.

 

a). 2 Corinthians 3:14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.