The Meaning of 2 Corinthians 3:16 Explained

2 Corinthians 3:16

KJV: Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.

YLT: and whenever they may turn unto the Lord, the vail is taken away.

Darby: But when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil is taken away.)

ASV: But whensoever it shall turn to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Nevertheless  when  it  shall turn  to  the Lord,  the vail  shall be taken away. 

What does 2 Corinthians 3:16 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Only when the light of the glory of God shines on a person from Jesus Christ (i.e, he or she perceives the gospel) can that individual fully understand that revelation. Before God removes that veil that person cannot perceive it clearly. This applies to all people, but in the context Paul was speaking of Jews particularly. Whenever a person comprehends that Jesus Christ fulfilled the Mosaic Law ( Romans 10:4), that one then understands that the dispensation of grace has superseded the dispensation of the law ( John 1:17). [1] "Turns to the Lord," means conversion to Jesus Christ.

Context Summary

2 Corinthians 3:7-18 - The Veil Upon The Heart
By a quick turn of thought, Paul passes from the idea of the fleshly tablets of the heart, where God writes His new name, to the Law graven on the ancient tables of stone, and to the Lawgiver, stern and veiled. He argues that if the glory which shone on the face of Moses was so beautiful, surely that of the gospel must be transcendently so. The one is transient, the other abiding; the one is reflected, the other direct.
Not only was Moses veiled, but the hearts of the Jews were covered with a thick covering of prejudice. They did not understand the inner significance of the Levitical Code; and when the Law was read, they listened to it without spiritual insight. Directly men turn to Christ, they see the inner meaning of Scripture. What liberty becomes ours when we live in Christ! We are free to love, to serve, to know, and to be. Note 2 Corinthians 3:18! We may gaze on the unveiled face of God in Christ. The more we look the more we resemble. The more we endeavor to reflect Him, in doing what He desires, the more certainly and inevitably we become like Him. Only remember that in all things we are deeply indebted to the gracious influence of the Spirit. He produces the Christ-life in us. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Corinthians 3

1  Lest their false teachers should charge him with vain glory,
2  he shows the faith of the Corinthians to be a sufficient commendation of his ministry
6  Whereupon entering a comparison between the ministers of the law and of the gospel,
12  he proves that his ministry is so far the more excellent,
17  as the gospel of life and liberty is more glorious than the law of condemnation

Greek Commentary for 2 Corinthians 3:16

It shall turn [επιστρεπσει]
The heart of Israel. [source]
The veil is taken away [περιαιρειται το καλυμμα]
Present passive indicative of περιαιρεω — periaireō old verb, to take from around, as of anchors (Acts 27:40), to cut loose (Acts 28:13), for hope to be taken away (Acts 27:20). Here Paul has in mind Exodus 34:34 where we find of Moses that περιηιρειτο το καλυμμα — periēireito to kalumma (the veil was taken from around his face) whenever he went before the Lord. After the ceremony the veil is taken from around (περι — peri̇) the face of the bride. [source]
It shall turn []
The heart of Israel. [source]
Shall be taken away [περιαιρεῖται]
Rev., correctly, is taken away. The verb occurs twice in Acts (Acts 27:20, Acts 27:40) of the taking away of hope, and of the unfastening of the anchors in Paul's shipwreck; and in Hebrews 10:11, of the taking away of sins. There is an allusion here to the removal of the veil from Moses' face whenever he returned to commune with God. See Exodus 34:34. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 2 Corinthians 3:16

Acts 27:20 For many days [επι πλειονας ημερας]
For more days than a few. No small tempest (χειμονος ουκ ολιγου — cheimonos ouk oligou). Litotes again. All hope that we should be saved was now taken away “For the rest (or future) there began to be taken from around us (περιηιρειτο — periēireito inchoative imperfect and see use of the verb in 2 Corinthians 3:16 of the veil) all hope of the being saved so far as we were concerned.” Despair was beginning to settle like a fog on all their hopes. Had Paul lost hope? [source]
Acts 27:20 All hope that we should be saved was now taken away [λοιπον περιηιρειτο ελπις πασα του σωζεσται ημας]
“For the rest (or future) there began to be taken from around us (περιηιρειτο — periēireito inchoative imperfect and see use of the verb in 2 Corinthians 3:16 of the veil) all hope of the being saved so far as we were concerned.” Despair was beginning to settle like a fog on all their hopes. Had Paul lost hope? [source]
2 Corinthians 3:14 Untaken away [μὴ ἀνακαλυπτόμενον]
Rev., admirably - giving the force of ἀνά up-unliftedBut both A.V. and Rev. construe unlifted with veil: the same veil remaineth untaken away (unlifted ). This is objectionable, because καταργεῖται isdone away is used throughout the chapter of the glory of the Mosaic ministry, while another word is employed in 2 Corinthians 3:16of the taking away of the veil. Further, the reading of the best texts is ὅτι thator because, and not ὅ τι whichBecause is not true to the fact, since the veil remains unlifted, not because it is done away in Christ, but because of the hardness of their hearts. It is better, therefore, to take μὴ ἀνακαλυπτόμενον unliftedas a nominative absolute, and to render, it not being revealed that it (the veil) is being done away in Christ. This falls in naturally with the drift of the whole passage. The veil remains on their hearts, since it is not revealed to them that the Mosaic economy is done away in Christ. [source]
2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit []
Κύριος theLord is used in Exodus 34:34for Jehovah. The Lord Christ of 2 Corinthians 3:16is the Spirit who pervades and animates the new covenant of which we are ministers (2 Corinthians 3:6), and the ministration of which is with glory (2 Corinthians 3:8). Compare Romans 8:9-11; John 14:16, John 14:18. [source]
Hebrews 10:11 Take away [περιελεῖν]
Only here in connection with sin. See on 2 Corinthians 3:16. The verb literally means to strip off all round. See Genesis 41:42(of a ring): Genesis 38:14; Deuteronomy 21:13(of clothes). Comp. εὐπερίστατος , Hebrews 12:1, see note, and περίκειται ἀσθένειαν iscompassed about with weakness, Hebrews 5:2. See also clothed with shame, and with cursing, Psalm 35:26; Psalm 109:18. [source]
James 1:25 The perfect law [νομον τελειον]
For τελειον — teleion see James 1:17. See Romans 7:12 for Paul‘s idea of the law of God. James here refers to the word of truth (James 1:18), the gospel of grace (Galatians 6:2; Romans 12:2).The law of liberty (τον της ελευτεριας — ton tēs eleutherias). “That of liberty,” explaining why it is “perfect” (James 2:12 also), rests on the work of Christ, whose truth sets us free (John 8:32; 2 Corinthians 3:16; Romans 8:2).And so continueth First aorist active articular participle again of παραμενω — paramenō parallel with παρακυπσας — parakupsas Παραμενω — Paramenō is to stay beside, and see Philemon 1:25 for contrast with the simplex μενω — menō Rather, “having become” (second aorist middle participle of γινομαι — ginomai to become).Not a hearer that forgetteth (ουκ ακροατης επιλησμονης — ouk akroatēs epilēsmonēs). “Not a hearer of forgetfulness” (descriptive genitive, marked by forgetfulness). Επιλησμονη — Epilēsmonē is a late and rare word (from επιλησμων — epilēsmōn forgetful, from επιλαντομαι — epilanthomai to forget, as in James 1:24), here only in N.T.But a doer that worketh “But a doer of work,” a doer marked by work (descriptive genitive εργου — ergou), not by mere listening or mere talk.In his doing (εν τηι ποιησει αυτου — en tēi poiēsei autou). Another beatitude with μακαριος — makarios as in James 1:12, like the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:3-12. Ποιησις — Poiēsis is an old word (from ποιεω — poieō for the act of doing), only here in N.T. [source]
James 1:25 The law of liberty [τον της ελευτεριας]
“That of liberty,” explaining why it is “perfect” (James 2:12 also), rests on the work of Christ, whose truth sets us free (John 8:32; 2 Corinthians 3:16; Romans 8:2). [source]

What do the individual words in 2 Corinthians 3:16 mean?

Whenever however if [one] shall have turned to [the] Lord is taken away the veil
ἡνίκα δὲ ἐὰν ἐπιστρέψῃ πρὸς Κύριον περιαιρεῖται τὸ κάλυμμα

ἡνίκα  Whenever 
Parse: Adverb
Root: ἡνίκα  
Sense: at which time, when.
δὲ  however 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
ἐπιστρέψῃ  [one]  shall  have  turned 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἐπιστρέφω  
Sense: transitively.
Κύριον  [the]  Lord 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: κύριος  
Sense: he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord.
περιαιρεῖται  is  taken  away 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: περιαιρέω  
Sense: to take away that which surrounds or envelopes a thing.
κάλυμμα  veil 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: κάλυμμα  
Sense: a veil, covering.