2 Corinthians 3:9

For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.

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Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
For	γὰρ gar	G1063	properly · conjunction
if	εἰ ei	G1487	if · conditional particle
ministration	διακονίᾳ diakonia	G1248	attendance (as a servant · noun — dative singular feminine
condemnation	κατακρίσεως katakriseōs	G2633	sentencing adversely (the act) · noun — genitive singular feminine
glory	δόξα, doxa	G1391	glory (as very apparent) · noun — nominative singular feminine
much	πολλῷ pollō	G4183	(singular) much (in any respect) or (plural) many · adjective — dative singular neuter
more	μᾶλλον mallon	G3123	(adverbially) more (in a greater degree)) or rather · adverb
doth	περισσεύει perisseuei	G4052	to superabound (in quantity or quality) · verb — present active indicative, 3rd person singular
ministration	διακονία diakonia	G1248	attendance (as a servant · noun — nominative singular feminine
righteousness	δικαιοσύνης dikaiosunēs	G1343	equity (of character or act) · noun — genitive singular feminine
exceed	περισσεύω perisseúō	G4052	to superabound (in quantity or quality)
in	ἐν en	G1722	"in
glory	δόξῃ. doxē	G1391	glory (as very apparent) · noun — dative singular feminine

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

Romans 3:21-22 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
Hebrews 12:18-21 For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,
2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Exodus 19:12-19 And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the borde…
Exodus 20:18-19 And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw…
Isaiah 46:13 I bring near my righteousness; it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry: and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my g…
Jeremiah 23:6 In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS…
Romans 1:17-18 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 2 Corinthians 3:6-11

Here the apostle makes a comparison between the Old Testament and the New, the law of Moses and the gospel of Jesus Christ, and values himself and his fellow-labourers by this, that they were able ministers of the New Testament, that God had made them so, Co2 3:6. This he does in answer to the accusations of false teachers, who magnify greatly the law of Moses. I. He distinguishes between the letter and the spirit even of the New Testament, Co2 3:6. As able ministers of the New Testament, they were ministers not merely of the letter, to read the written word, or to preach the letter of the gospel only, but they were ministers of the Spirit also; the Spirit of God did accompany their ministra…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Corinthians 3:9

ministration of condemnation--the law regarded in the "letter" which "killeth" (Co2 3:6; Rom 7:9-11). The oldest existing manuscript seems to read as English Version. But most of the almost contemporary manuscripts, versions, and Fathers, read, "If to the ministration of condemnation there be glory." the ministration of righteousness--the Gospel, which especially reveals the righteousness of God (Rom 1:17), and imputes righteousness to men through faith in Christ (Rom 3:21-28; Rom 4:3, Rom 4:22-25), and imparts righteousness by the Spirit (Rom 8:1-4). exceed--"abound."

Adam Clarke on 2 Corinthians 3:9

The ministration of condemnation - The law, which ascertained sin, and condemned it to just punishment. The ministration of righteousness - The Gospel, the grand business of which was to proclaim the doctrine δικαιοσυνης, of justification; and to show how God could be just and yet the justifier of him who believeth in Jesus. Exceed in glory - For great, glorious, and awful as the law may be, in its opposition to sin, which is a reproach to man, and a dishonor to God; and in its punishment of sin; yet it must be vastly exceeded by that system which, evidencing an equal abhorrence of sin, finds out a method to forgive it; to take away its guilt from the conscience, and remove all its infection…

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The Church Fathers

The law condemned sinners, but grace receives them and justifies them by faith. It leads them to holy baptism and grants them forgiveness of sins.
— Theodoret of Cyrus, COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 303

Paul says this because there is more glory in salvation than there is in death. However justly a judge may condemn some-one, he earns more honor if he shows mercy, so that the guilty party is given an opportunity to mend his ways.
— Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES

Also, he interprets more clearly the meaning of the words, "The letter killeth," declaring it to be that which we have said above, namely, that the Law showed sin, not caused it. "Much rather doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory." For those Tables indeed showed the sinners and punished them, but this not only did not punish the sinners, but even made them righteous: for this did Baptism confer.
— John Chrysostom, Homily 7 on 2 Corinthians

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary and topics

Condemnation · The law is the ministration of — The law is the ministration of
Glory · Of the gospel exceeds that of the law — Of the gospel exceeds that of the law
Law Of Moses, The · Called: Ministration of condemnation — Called: Ministration of condemnation

Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).

2 Corinthians 3:9

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 2 Corinthians 3:6-11

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Corinthians 3:9

Adam Clarke on 2 Corinthians 3:9

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

2 Corinthians 3:9

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 2 Corinthians 3:6-11

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Corinthians 3:9

Adam Clarke on 2 Corinthians 3:9

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

John Gill on 2 Corinthians 3:9

John Calvin on 2 Corinthians 3:4-11

Tyndale Open Study Notes on 2 Corinthians 3:7-11