2 Corinthians 3:11 (KJV)

What does 2 Corinthians 3:11 mean?

2 Corinthians 3:11 says that if something that was only temporary was filled with glory, then what lasts forever is even more glorious. Paul is comparing two things: the old covenant, which has ended, and the new covenant, which remains.

Paul is writing to the church in Corinth, explaining the difference between the old way God related to people (through the law given to Moses) and the new way through Jesus. He points out that the old covenant had its own kind of glory, but since it was meant to pass away, the new covenant—meant to last—has an even greater glory.

The Greek behind 2 Corinthians 3:11

• "done away" (καταργέω, katargeō): This word means to abolish or bring to an end. Paul uses it to describe the old covenant as something that has been set aside or made obsolete.
• "glorious" (δόξα, doxa): This word is used twice, once for the old covenant and once for the new. It means honor, splendor, or brightness, showing that both covenants had a kind of divine radiance, but the new surpasses the old.
• "remaineth" (μένω, menō): This word means to stay, continue, or endure. Paul uses it to highlight that the new covenant is permanent, in contrast to the temporary nature of the old.

Why 2 Corinthians 3:11 matters

• This verse helps clear up the idea that the old covenant was somehow bad or without value; Paul says it was glorious, but its time has passed.
• Paul’s comparison emphasizes the lasting and greater glory of the new covenant, helping the Corinthians appreciate the significance of what Jesus has done.
• Understanding this verse helps make sense of the wider passage, where Paul is building a case for why the new way of relating to God is not just different, but better and enduring.