SEV Biblia, Chapter 3:2
Nuestras letras sois vosotros mismos , escritas en nuestros corazones, las cuales son sabidas y leídas por todos los hombres;
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 2 Corinthians 3:2
Verse 2. Ye are our epistle] I bear the most ardent love to you. I have no need to be put in remembrance of you by any epistles or other means; ye are written in my heart-I have the most affectionate remembrance of you. Known and read of all men] For wherever I go I mention you; speak of your various gifts and graces; and praise your knowledge in the Gospel.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 2. Ye are our epistle , etc..] Here a reason is given why they stood in no need of letters of commendation, to or from the church at Corinth, because that church was their living epistle, and which was much preferable to any written one. The apostle calls them their epistle in the same sense, as they are said to be his work in the Lord, and the seal of his apostleship, ( 1 Corinthians 9:1,2) they were so as persons regenerated by the Spirit and grace of God, in whose conversion he was an instrument; now it was the work of conversion in them, which was the epistle said to be written in our hearts ; some think it should be read, in your hearts; and so the Ethiopic version reads it; and it looks as if it should be so read, from the following verse, and from the nature of the thing itself; for the conversion of the Corinthians was not written in the heart of the apostle, but in their own; and this was so very notorious and remarkable, that it was known and read of all men ; everyone could read, and was obliged to acknowledge the handwriting; it was so clear a case, what hand the apostle, as an instrument, had in the turning of these persons from idols to serve the living God; and which was so full a proof of the divinity, efficacy, truth, and sincerity of his doctrine, that he needed no letters from any to recommend him.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-11 - Even the appearance of self-praise and courting human applause, is painful to the humble and spiritual mind. Nothing is more delightful to faithful ministers, or more to their praise, than the success of their ministry, as shown in the spirits and lives of those among whom the labour. The law of Christ was written in their hearts, and the love of Christ shed abroad there. Nor was it written in tables of stone, as the law of God given to Moses, but on the fleshy (not fleshly, a fleshliness denotes sensuality) tables of the heart, Eze 36:26. Their hearts were humbled and softened to receive this impression, by the new-creating power of the Holy Spirit. He ascribes all the glory to God. And remember, as our whole dependence is upon the Lord, so the whole glory belongs to him alone. The letter killeth: the letter of the law is the ministration of death; and if we rest only in the letter of the gospel, we shall not be the better for so doing: but the Holy Spirit gives life spiritual, and life eternal. The Old Testamen dispensation was the ministration of death, but the New Testament of life. The law made known sin, and the wrath and curse of God; it showe us a God above us, and a God against us; but the gospel makes know grace, and Emmanuel, God with us. Therein the righteousness of God by faith is revealed; and this shows us that the just shall live by his faith; this makes known the grace and mercy of God through Jesu Christ, for obtaining the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. The gospel so much exceeds the law in glory, that it eclipses the glory of the legal dispensation. But even the New Testament will be a killin letter, if shown as a mere system or form, and without dependence of God the Holy Spirit, to give it a quickening power.
Greek Textus Receptus
η 3588 T-NSF επιστολη 1992 N-NSF ημων 2257 P-1GP υμεις 5210 P-2NP εστε 2075 5748 V-PXI-2P εγγεγραμμενη 1449 5772 V-RPP-NSF εν 1722 PREP ταις 3588 T-DPF καρδιαις 2588 N-DPF ημων 2257 P-1GP γινωσκομενη 1097 5746 V-PPP-NSF και 2532 CONJ αναγινωσκομενη 314 5746 V-PPP-NSF υπο 5259 PREP παντων 3956 A-GPM ανθρωπων 444 N-GPM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
2. Our epistle. The figure which follows is freely and somewhat loosely worked out, and presents different faces in rapid succession. The figure itself is that of a commendatory letter representing the Corinthian Church: "Ye are our letter." This figure is carried out in three directions: 1. As related to the apostles' own consciousness. The Corinthian Church is a letter written on the apostles' hearts. Their own consciousness testifies that that Church is the fruit of a divinely accredited, honest, and faithful ministry.
2. As related to the Corinthians themselves. The Church needs no letter to commend the apostles to it. It is its own commendation. As the visible fruit of the apostles' ministry they are a commendatory letter to themselves. If the question arises among them, "Were Paul and his colleagues duly commissioned?" - the answer is, "We ourselves are the proof of it."
3. As related to others outside of the Corinthian Church. The answer to the charge that the Corinthians have been taught by irregular and uncommissioned teachers is the same: "Behold the fruit of their labors in us. We are their commission."
At this point the figure again shifts; the letter being now conceived as written on the Corinthians' hearts, instead of on the hearts of the apostles: written by Christ through the apostles' ministry. This suggests the comparison with the law written on tables of stone, which are used as a figure of the heart, fleshy tables, thus introducing two incongruities, namely, an epistle written on stone, and writing with ink on stone tables. Written in our hearts. See above. Compare Plato: "I am speaking of an intelligent writing which is graven in the soul of him who has learned, and can defend itself" ("Phaedrus," 276).
Robertson's NT Word Studies
3:2 {Ye are our epistle} (he epistole hemwn humeis este). Bold turn. Paul was writing in their hearts. {Known and read} (ginwskomene kai anaginwskomene). Play on the word. Literally true. Professing Christians are the Bible that men read and know.
