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2 Corinthians 3:14 English Standard Version (ESV)

14 But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away.

2 Corinthians 3:14 Translated from the Latin Vulgate (VG)

14 14 But their senses were made dull. For, until this present day, the selfsame veil, in the reading of the old testament, remaineth not taken away (because in Christ it is made void).

2 Corinthians 3:14 King James Version (KJV)

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.

2 Corinthians 3:14 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)

¹⁴But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is taken away only by means of Christ.

EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 160 books. Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).

The common term today among churchgoers and Bible scholars alike is the “old Testament” and the New Testament.” Focusing on the so-called Old Testament first, scholars also refer to it as the Hebrew Scriptures. That is because they are writing in Hebrew with a few verses in Aramaic. So, how did we get the expression Old Testament? It comes to us by way of the Latin Vulgate and the King James Version as can be seen in the above. The Greek Scriptures are commonly referred to as the “New Testament.”

The Greek terms in 2 Corthinians 3:14 (παλαιός palaios/διαθήκη diathēkē) means “old covenant” not Old Testament. The term (διαθήκη diathēkē) is found another 32 times in the Greek Scriptures and should be rendered “covenant” in all instances. (Matt 26:28; Mark 14:24; Luke 1:72; 22:20; Acts 3:25; 7:8; Rom. 9:4; 11:27; 1 Cor. 11:25; 2 Cor. 3:6, 14; Gal. 3:15, 17; 4:24; Eph. 2:12; Heb. 7:22; 8:6, 8, 9, 9, 10; 9:4, 4, 15, 15, 16, 17, 20; 10:16, 29; 12:24; 13:20; Rev. 11:19)

The Latin word testamentum by which the word (διαθήκη diathēkē) was rendered in the early Latin versions as well as in the Latin Vulgate by Jerome, was thought to mean ‘testament’ or ‘will.’ However it meant “covenant.” Thus, in the old Latin translation of the Scriptures testamentum became the traditional translation of the Greek word (διαθήκη diathēkē). Simon J. Kistemaker and William Hendriksen ask, “Should the translation be ‘old covenant’ or ‘Old Testament’? Translators and interpreters are divided on this point. [no so anymore, all translations render it old covenant] True, the Old Testament Scriptures (Law, Writings, and Prophets) were read in the synagogues every Sabbath. But at present, Paul is not distinguishing between the Old Testament and New Testament Scriptures. In context, he is discussing the old covenant that was ratified at Sinai. He intimates that his contemporaries fail to see the replacement of the old covenant by the new covenant (Jer. 31:31–34). With his associates, Paul is a minister of the new covenant (v. 6) that Jesus inaugurated at the institution of the Lord’s Supper (1 Cor. 11:25). Because of his emphasis on the covenant concept, I prefer the translation old covenant.^[1]

Thus, the King James Version is incorrect in its rendering of 2 Corinthians 3;14. Almost all modern translations correctly read “old covenant.” The concept of a “will” or so-called “testament” is not that which the apostle Paul intended to convey by the Greek word (διαθήκη diathēkē). The idea is obviously that of a compact, an agreement, a covenant. The apostle Paul was not making some reference in 2 Corinthians 3:14 to the whole of the Hebrew Scriptures. So, Paul was not making some contrast between some Old Testament verses a New Testament. He was specifically referring to the old law covenant, which is found in the books by Moses, only a fraction of the Hebrew Scriptures. This is why verse 15 says, “But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts.”

Sadly, the expressions Old Testament and New Testament are now with Christians the common name. As can be seen from the above, there is no reason to continue with these terms. Jesus Christ referred to the Hebrew Scriptures, the so-called “Old Testament” as “the Scriptures.” (Matt. 21:42; Mark 14:49; John 5:39) The apostle Paul referred to the Hebrew Scriptures as “the holy Scriptures,” “the Scriptures” and “the sacred writings.” (Rom 1:2; 15:4; 2 Tim. 3:15) The Updated American Standard Version (UASV) renders Romans 1:2, “which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures.” The same is true of the ASV, ESV, CSB, LEB, NASB, and so on. We should make an effort to refer to the Scriptures as the Hebrew Scriptures and the Christian Greek Scriptures (the latter is worded as such so as not to be confused with the Greek Septuagint Scriptures).

^[1] Simon J. Kistemaker and William Hendriksen, Exposition of the Second Epistle to the Corinthians, vol. 19, New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1953–2001), 121.