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2 Corinthians 3:16

Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
2 Corinthians 3:16 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB But whenever one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
  • BSB But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
  • NKJV Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
  • NASB but whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
  • NLT But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Conversion to Christ brings spiritual sight.

Overview

Drawing on the language of Moses turning to the Lord, Paul declares that turning to Christ removes the veil of blindness. Understanding and freedom come not by effort but by turning to the Lord in faith. This is the gospel remedy for spiritual blindness, opening the eyes of the heart to behold God's glory in Christ.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 12

  • Exod 34:34But when Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him, he took the vail off, until he came out. And he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded.
  • Isa 25:7And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations.
  • Isa 29:18And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness.
  • John 6:45–46It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
  • Jer 31:34And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
  • Rom 11:23And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.
  • Rom 11:25–27For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
  • Lam 3:40Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.
  • Isa 54:13And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.
  • Deut 4:30When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice;
  • Deut 30:10If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul.
  • Hos 3:4–5For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim:

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (2)

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Christ at the center

In Christ all God's promises are 'Yes and Amen'; though rich, he became poor to make us rich, and in him God reconciles the world, making us new creations.

How 2 Corinthians 3:16 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.