2 Corinthians 3:14 Meaning: The Veil That Only Christ Removes
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.
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.
but their minds were hardened: for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remaineth, it not being revealed to them that it is done away in Christ.
but their minds were hardened, for unto this day the same vail at the reading of the Old Covenant doth remain unwithdrawn--which in Christ is being made useless--
But their thoughts have been darkened, for unto this day the same veil remains in reading the old covenant, unremoved, which in Christ is annulled.
Meaning in one sentence
Paul explains why a veil remains over the old covenant when read without Christ, and how only in Him it is lifted.
Context
Paul is in the middle of comparing his ministry under the new covenant with Moses' ministry under the old one. In Exodus 34, when Moses came down from the mountain with the tablets, his face shone with God's glory. He covered it with a veil so the people would not see it fade. Now Paul takes that image and turns it into a picture of something deeper. When the Jewish people read the Law in their synagogues, something like that veil still covers their understanding. They do not see that the Law itself was always pointing toward the Messiah. The glory they could not stare at back then, and the meaning they miss today, both hide one thing: Jesus. Until a person sees Christ in the Scripture, the veil stays in place. Paul is not condemning the people but describing a real, sad condition that only one cure can fix.
Key Words
The word translated “hardened” is eporōthē, from the Greek verb poroō. It originally means to cover with a callus, like skin that has grown thick and numb over a wound. This is not just a temporary blur; it is a dullness that has set in over time, so that even bright truth cannot break through. That is what Paul says happened to their minds, the word noēmata means thoughts or perceptions, the part of us that grasps meaning.
Then comes the “veil,” kalumma, a simple covering that hides what is underneath. Paul says it remains (menei) every time the old covenant is read aloud. The same veil, Sunday after Sunday. But then comes the crucial verb: katargeitai, “is being removed.” This word means to render inoperative, to strip of power, to make something have no more effect. It is present tense in Greek, happening now. The veil does not stay because the old covenant is too strong. It stays only because people have not yet seen that in Christ, that veil has already been stripped of its power. The moment a person turns to Him, the callused heart begins to feel again.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions have read this verse in subtly different ways. Reformed commentators like Calvin and the Geneva Bible emphasize that the blindness is the people’s own fault, they turn their eyes from Christ, so they see nothing in the Law. Matthew Henry, writing in the Anglican tradition, says the veil remains until the heart turns to the Lord, and then it is taken away. Adam Clarke, a Methodist scholar, sees the veil as the darkness and ignorance that keep people from the spiritual meaning of their own Scriptures. The Cambridge Bible notes a grammatical debate: some read the verse as saying the veil remains because the old covenant is not yet shown to be abolished in Christ. Others, including Chrysostom, take it as meaning the people fail to perceive that the old covenant is being done away. Both readings agree on the central point: the veil lifts only in Christ. The disagreement is about whether the verse describes the objective fact of the covenant’s passing or the subjective blindness of the reader. The Church has never needed to choose, both are true.
A common misunderstanding
A common misreading is that God hardened the minds of the Jewish people permanently, as though the veil could never be removed. But Paul himself says the opposite only two verses later: “But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away” (v. 16). The hardness is a condition, not a life sentence. It comes from refusing to look at Christ, and it goes when a person does look.
Living This Out
You have probably read a passage of Scripture and felt nothing. The words were there, but they seemed flat, like looking at a curtain. That is what Paul is describing. The good news is that the curtain is not stuck. It is not permanent. The veil is only there because you are not yet seeing Jesus in that particular place. This week, before you open your Bible, try a simple practice. Take a breath and say, “Lord, show me Yourself in this reading.” Do not aim for information. Aim for a Person. What passage has felt dull or confusing lately? Bring it to Christ and ask Him to lift the covering. The glory is there, you just need the veil taken off.
Main takeaway: The veil over our hearts is only lifted when we see Christ as the purpose and fulfillment of all Scripture.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Have you ever worn a blindfold and could not see where you were going? The Bible says some people have a blindfold over their minds when they read God’s Word. But when we ask Jesus to help us, He takes the blindfold off so we can understand.
For ages 9, 12
The people in Paul’s day read the Old Testament every week in the synagogue, but many of them did not see Jesus in it. It was like a veil covered their understanding. Paul says that veil is only removed when we trust in Christ. That doesn’t mean the Old Testament isn’t important. It means we need Jesus to open our eyes to what it is really saying. When you read the Bible, ask Jesus to show you Himself. He will take the veil away.
Questions People Ask
What does it mean that their minds were hardened?
The Greek word means to become calloused or dull, like skin that has grown thick and lost feeling. Paul is saying the people’s understanding had become resistant, so the truth of Scripture could not get through. It was not a one-time event but a condition that had set in over time.
What is the veil that remains?
Paul uses the veil as a picture of spiritual blindness. Just as Moses covered his face with a veil, a covering keeps people from seeing the glory of God in the old covenant. That veil is only removed when a person turns to Christ. Without Him, the meaning stays hidden even when the Bible is read aloud.
Does this verse mean the old covenant is worthless?
No. Paul says the old covenant was glorious in its own way (v. 7-11). The problem is not the covenant itself; it is the veil that keeps people from seeing that Christ is the goal of it all. The old covenant still speaks of God’s holiness and His promises. But without Christ, its deepest meaning stays covered.
For pastors & researchers
Greek interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study