Single lesson
2 Corinthians 3: Ministers of a New Covenant
2 Corinthians 3:1–6; 2 Corinthians 3:7–18
This lesson helps children notice two big ideas in 2 Corinthians 3: God makes people able to serve him, and the new covenant has greater glory through the Spirit. Students will trace the chapter and respond with a simple reminder card.
Before you teach
In 2 Corinthians 3, the writer first speaks about the readers as a letter of Christ and says sufficiency comes from God, who makes his servants fit for a new covenant. He then compares what was written on stone with the service of the Spirit, speaking about glory, a veil, turning to the Lord, liberty and transformation.
Students will be able to explain that, in 2 Corinthians 3, God gives sufficiency for service, the Spirit gives life, and turning to the Lord leads to liberty and ongoing transformation.
Welcome: What shows who someone really belongs to?
4 minBegin by asking children what a letter, badge or name tag does. Explain that this passage speaks about a different kind of letter: people whose lives show Christ’s work. Introduce the lesson aim in simple words: we will find out who makes God’s servants able, what the Spirit does, and what happens when someone turns to the Lord.
2 Corinthians 3:2, 2 Corinthians 3:3, 2 Corinthians 3:5, 2 Corinthians 3:16
Read and explain: A letter of Christ and help from God
8 minRead 2 Corinthians 3:1-6 aloud. Explain that this chapter says the believers are like a letter, not written with ink, but by the Spirit of the living God on hearts. Point out that the writer does not claim sufficiency from himself. He says sufficiency is from God, who makes servants of a new covenant, and that the Spirit gives life.
2 Corinthians 3:1, 2 Corinthians 3:3, 2 Corinthians 3:5, 2 Corinthians 3:6
Discuss: Greater glory in the service of the Spirit
6 minRead 2 Corinthians 3:7-11. Help children hear the comparison words such as ‘much more’. This chapter says what was engraved on stones came with glory, yet the service of the Spirit has much more glory. It also says one thing was passing away, while the other remains. Invite students to name the repeated word ‘glory’ and say what is greater in this passage.
2 Corinthians 3:7, 2 Corinthians 3:8, 2 Corinthians 3:9, 2 Corinthians 3:11
Make and respond: Veil, turning, liberty and change
8 minRead 2 Corinthians 3:12-18. Explain that this chapter speaks about a veil remaining, and then says the veil is taken away when someone turns to the Lord. It also says where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. Children then make a reminder card using one key verse or phrase from the passage and one sentence about what it teaches.
2 Corinthians 3:14, 2 Corinthians 3:16, 2 Corinthians 3:17, 2 Corinthians 3:18
Closing: Say the main teaching clearly
4 minFinish by asking children to complete three short sentences aloud or on paper: ‘Our sufficiency is from...’, ‘The Spirit gives...’, and ‘When someone turns to the Lord...’. Reinforce that this chapter points to God’s work through Christ and the Spirit, not human self-importance. Close with the optional prayer if appropriate.
2 Corinthians 3:4, 2 Corinthians 3:5, 2 Corinthians 3:6, 2 Corinthians 3:16
Questions to explore
Why does this chapter say the believers are like a letter, and who wrote that letter?
Look at the contrast between ink and the Spirit, and between stone tablets and hearts, to answer from the passage itself.
2 Corinthians 3:2, 2 Corinthians 3:3
According to this chapter, where does sufficiency for serving come from?
Notice that the writer says it is not from ourselves, then find the direct answer in the next words.
2 Corinthians 3:5, 2 Corinthians 3:6
What changes when someone turns to the Lord?
Link the verses about the veil being taken away, liberty, and being transformed from glory to glory.
2 Corinthians 3:16, 2 Corinthians 3:17, 2 Corinthians 3:18
Make, think or respond
Key Verse Reminder Card
What you’ll need
- plain card or paper
- pencils or pens
- colours or markers
- Bible text written on board or read aloud
Try it together
- Ask each child to choose one key verse or phrase from 2 Corinthians 3, such as ‘our sufficiency is from God’ or ‘the Spirit gives life’.
- Fold a small piece of card or paper and write the chosen words on the front.
- Inside, write one sentence explaining what the verse teaches in this chapter.
- Decorate the card with words from the passage such as ‘Spirit’, ‘glory’, ‘liberty’ or ‘turned to the Lord’.
- Invite volunteers to read their card and explain why they chose that verse.
This activity helps children remember the chapter’s own words about God’s sufficiency, the Spirit’s life and liberty, and the transformation of those who turn to the Lord.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, offer two or three short verse choices and let them draw a heart, a veil or a shining word to match the text.
- For stronger readers, ask them to compare verses 5-6 with verses 16-18 and write two sentences showing how the ideas connect.
An optional closing prayer
‘Lord God, thank you that our sufficiency is from you. Please help us turn to the Lord, value the work of your Spirit, and grow in ways that show your work in our lives. Amen.’
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
2 Corinthians 3
1 Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as do some, letters of commendation to you or from you?
2 You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men,
3 being revealed that you are a letter of Christ, served by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tablets of stone, but in tablets that are hearts of flesh.
4 Such confidence we have through Christ toward God,
5 not that we are sufficient of ourselves to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God,
6 who also made us sufficient as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
7 But if the service of death, written engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look steadfastly on the face of Moses for the glory of his face, which was passing away,
8 won’t service of the Spirit be with much more glory?
9 For if the service of condemnation has glory, the service of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.
10 For most certainly that which has been made glorious has not been made glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasses.
11 For if that which passes away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory.
12 Having therefore such a hope, we use great boldness of speech,
13 and not as Moses, who put a veil on his face so that the children of Israel wouldn’t look steadfastly on the end of that which was passing away.
14 But their minds were hardened, for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains, because in Christ it passes away.
15 But to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart.
16 But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
18 But we all, with unveiled face seeing the glory of the Lord as in a mirror, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.