II Corinthians 3:16 · Bible study
2 Corinthians 3:16 Commentary: Veil Removed When We Turn to the Lord
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Exegesis of 2 Corinthians 3:16: the veil taken away when turning to the Lord, Israel's future conversion, and immediate application for believers.
Research Summary
- Meaning: When a person (or Israel) turns to the Lord, spiritual blindness is removed instantly.
- Key words: epistrepsē (aorist subjunctive, 'turns'), periaireitai (present passive, 'is taken away'), kalumma (veil).
- Main debate: Subject of 'turning', national Israel (Clarke, Barnes, Gill) vs. any individual (Wesley, Vincent) vs. the law itself (Calvin).
- Theological theme: Conversion and illumination; Christ as the end of the Law; the Spirit brings freedom from the dead letter.
- Best use: Evangelistic or teaching context on how the Old Testament points to Christ and how faith removes blindness.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
WEB World English Bible 2000
But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
KJV King James Version 1769
Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
But whensoever it shall turn to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and whenever they may turn unto the Lord, the vail is taken away.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
But when it shall turn to [the] Lord, the veil is taken away.)
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
But when they shall be converted to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Mas cuando se convirtieren al Señor, el velo se quitará.
Porém quando se converterem ao Senhor, então o véu será tirado.
mais lorsque les cœurs se convertissent au Seigneur, le voile est ôté.
Wenn es aber sich bekehrte zu dem HERRN, so würde die Decke abgetan.
Doch zo wanneer het tot den Heere zal bekeerd zijn, zo wordt het deksel weggenomen.
quando però si saranno convertiti al Signore, il velo sarà rimosso.
Lecz gdyby się do Pana obrócili, odjęta będzie ona zasłona,
но когда обращаются к Господу, тогда это покрывало снимается.
但 他們的心幾時 歸 向 主，帕子 就幾時除去了。
But when it is turned to the Lord, the veil will be taken away.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · II Corinthians 3:16
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that the veil represents spiritual blindness, and turning to the Lord removes it. The immediate context (Exodus 34:34) is clear: Moses removed his veil when he entered God’s presence. Paul applies this to the Jewish people: their hearts are veiled when reading Moses (v.15), but when they turn to Christ, the veil lifts (v.16). The verb periaireitai (present passive) indicates the removal happens at that very moment, not a future promise but an immediate result of turning. Wesley notes: ‘That very moment; and they see with the utmost clearness.’ Yet the major debate among commentators is the subject of ‘turning.’ Does Paul envision an entire nation turning en masse at some future date, or is this the experience of any individual who comes to Christ? Both sides have strong support from the text and the broader Pauline letters.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Mass conversion of Israel: Barnes, Clarke and Gill read it as national turning of Israel, supported by Romans 11 and Isaiah 25:7.
- Immediate individual conversion: Wesley, Vincent, Cambridge Bible see the present tense and the indefinite 'whenever' as any person turning to Christ.
- The law turning to Christ: Calvin argues the subject is Moses/the law; when the law is referred to its end (Christ), the veil is removed.
What is clear: Turning to the Lord results in the immediate removal of the veil of spiritual blindness, enabling clear sight of Christ in Scripture.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Subject of the verb 'turn' | The turning is a spiritual movement toward Christ that results in the removal of a veil. | Barnes, Clarke and Gill interpret it as Israel's future mass conversion (cf. Romans 11). Wesley, Vincent and the Cambridge Bible understand it as any individual who turns. Calvin argues the subject is Moses/the law, meaning the law itself is redirected to its end, Christ. |
| Timing of the veil's removal | The present tense (περιαιρεῖται) indicates the removal is immediate upon turning, not a gradual process. | Some (e.g., Wordsworth) see it as 'is in process of removal' while Alford sees it as 'is there and then removed.' The difference is slight but affects whether the removal is instantaneous or ongoing. |
| Nature of the veil | The veil symbolizes spiritual blindness and misunderstanding of the Old Testament. | Most see it as a covering over the heart (v.15) that prevents seeing Christ. Poole notes it is also a veil over the law itself until it is referred to Christ. No significant disagreement on the metaphor. |
| Future of Israel | Paul anticipates a turning of the Jewish people to Christ (Romans 11 is in view). | Clarke, Barnes and Gill see a future mass conversion of the whole nation. Others (e.g., Calvin) are less specific about 'en masse' but agree that individual Jews already turn and the hardening is partial. |
| Application to Christian readers | Believers now have an unveiled face and are being transformed (v.18). | No debate: all traditions see this as a present reality for those in Christ. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The veil imagery comes directly from Exodus 34:33-35. When Moses came down from Sinai with a shining face, he covered it with a veil except when speaking with God. Paul transforms this historical detail into an allegory: the veil now lies not on Moses’ face but on the hearts of those who read the Old Covenant without seeing Christ as its goal (v.14-15). In Second Temple Judaism, the reading of the Law was central to synagogue worship. Paul says that even in his own day, when the Law is read aloud, a covering remains over Jewish hearts. This is not a physical veil but a spiritual blindness to how the Law points to Jesus. The word kalumma (veil) appears only here and in v.14-15 in the New Testament; it echoes the LXX of Exodus. The verb periaireō means ‘to take away that which surrounds or envelops’ (Thayer) and is used in Acts 27:20 of hope being removed and Hebrews 10:11 of sins being taken away. Paul also alludes to Isaiah 25:7, where God promises to destroy ‘the veil that is spread over all nations.’ So the removal of the veil is both a present act of God when someone turns to Christ and a future hope for all peoples. The immediate context (vv.17-18) then celebrates the liberty and transformation that come when the veil is gone.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for this verse. The reading περιαιρεῖται (present passive indicative) is well-supported across manuscripts. The variation in English versions between future ('shall be taken away,' KJV) and present ('is taken away') reflects differing interpretations of the Greek tense, not a textual difference.
Reception History
Early church fathers like Chrysostom and Augustine read this verse as describing the conversion of any person, Jew or Gentile, who turns to Christ. The Reformation saw Calvin and Luther apply it to the law itself: the veil remains until Christ is sought. Puritan commentaries (e.g., Matthew Henry) emphasized the plainness of the gospel compared to the obscurity of the law. In the 19th century, dispensationalists (e.g., Clarke, Barnes) highlighted the future conversion of the Jewish nation. Throughout church history, the verse has been used to explain why the Old Testament seems dark without Christ, and to encourage believers to read Scripture with unveiled hearts through the Spirit.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The veil remains until someone turns to the Lord. Unbelief and a focus on the dead letter keep people from seeing Christ in the Scriptures. Just as the Israelites could not look at Moses’ fading glory, many today read the Bible without recognizing its center.
- Turning to the Lord removes the veil instantly. The Greek present tense (periaireitai) shows that removal is not gradual or automatic, it happens the moment a person turns. This is God’s work, not human effort.
- Unveiled faces see the glory of the Lord and are transformed. Verse 18 shows the result: we behold God’s glory and are changed into his likeness. The veil is not just taken away; we are given a new way of seeing.
Five-point outline
- Context: Paul explains why he speaks with boldness (v.12) rather than hiding like Moses (v.13).
- The problem: Jewish minds are hardened, and a veil lies on their hearts when the Old Covenant is read (vv.14-15).
- The solution: whenever the heart turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away (v.16).
- The identity: the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit is, there is freedom (v.17).
- The result: all believers, with unveiled faces, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory (v.18).
Illustration hooks
- A person who grew up in church reading the Bible but never saw that it pointed to Jesus, until one day the words came alive. That moment of conversion was the veil lifting.
- A clear glass window that is frosted on one side; you can see light but no shapes. When the frost is removed, everything becomes distinct. The Law had true light, but the veil made it blurry.
- Moses coming out of the tent with his face unveiled after speaking with God, and the people seeing his radiant face. That was the pattern: presence removes hiding.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Is Paul talking about the Jewish people as a whole, or about anyone who turns to Christ?
- How do I know if the veil is still on my own heart when I read the Old Testament?
- What does it mean for the veil to be ‘taken away’ in practical terms?
Leading a Discussion
This passage uses a physical object, Moses’ veil, to describe a spiritual condition: the hardness of heart that prevents people from seeing Christ in the Scriptures. Paul applies it first to his Jewish contemporaries, but the principle extends to anyone who reads the Bible without turning to the Lord. The turning and the removal happen together; one does not cause the other, but they are two sides of God’s work.
Discussion questions
- Read Exodus 34:29-35. How does the original story help you understand Paul’s metaphor of the veil?
- In v.14, Paul says the veil ‘remains’ when the Old Covenant is read. Have you ever sensed a veil when reading certain parts of the Bible? What helps remove it?
- The subject of the verb ‘turn’ in v.16 is ambiguous. Some see it as Israel, others as the heart, others as Moses/the law. Which reading seems most natural to you, and why does it matter?
- Paul uses the present tense ‘is taken away,’ not a future ‘will be taken away.’ What does this grammar tell us about the timing of the veil’s removal?
- Verse 17 says ‘where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.’ How is the removal of the veil related to the Spirit’s freedom?
- What does it mean to ‘turn to the Lord’ in your daily life? Is it a one-time event or an ongoing posture?
- How might this passage encourage someone who struggles to understand the Old Testament as Christian Scripture?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 34:34 | But when Moses went in before Yahweh to speak with him, he took the veil off, until he came out; and he came out, and spoke to the children of Israel that which he was commanded. |
| Deuteronomy 4:30 | When you are in oppression, and all these things have come on you, in the latter days you shall return to Yahweh your God and listen to his voice. |
| Deuteronomy 30:10 | if you will obey Yahweh your God’s voice, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, if you turn to Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul. |
| Isaiah 25:7 | He will destroy in this mountain the surface of the covering that covers all peoples, and the veil that is spread over all nations. |
| Isaiah 29:18 | In that day, the deaf will hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind will see out of obscurity and out of darkness. |
| Isaiah 54:13 | All your children will be taught by Yahweh, and your children’s peace will be great. |
| Jeremiah 31:34 | They will no longer each teach his neighbor, and every man teach his brother, saying, ‘Know Yahweh;’ for they will all know me, from their least to their greatest,” says Yahweh, “for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” |
| Lamentations 3:40 | Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to Yahweh. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke emphasizes that the Jewish people will one day turn to Christ as a whole nation, not just individually. At that point the spiritual veil over their hearts will be lifted. This mass conversion will unite Jews and Gentiles into one flock under the one Shepherd.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes sees Israel's current blindness as temporary, not permanent. He expects a future mass conversion of the Jewish people to Christ, at which point the veil will lift and they will understand their own Scriptures in their true light. For Barnes, turning to God in love is the surest key to interpreting the Bible correctly.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin corrects the common reading that the turning to the Lord refers to Israel. He insists Paul is speaking of Moses and the law: when the law is directed to its true goal, Christ, the veil is removed. Without Christ as the reference point, all Scripture is twisted and perverted.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentary notes several ways to read who turns to the Lord in this verse, but prefers seeing Israel's heart as the subject. It also highlights that the veil's removal is described in the present tense, happening at the exact moment the heart turns, not as a distant future event.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
According to the Geneva note, the veil of spiritual blindness is removed only when the heart sincerely turns to the Lord. This turning represents a true conversion of the inner person, not just outward change. Until that heartfelt turning occurs, the veil remains.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill emphasizes that when the Jewish nation turns to Christ, the veil of spiritual blindness over their hearts is removed. He stresses this turning happens only by God's Spirit and grace. The veil obscures their understanding of the Old Testament, and even Jewish writers acknowledge such a veil of ignorance remains.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB stresses that the veil is removed the very moment the heart turns to the Lord, not at some later time. He points to Moses removing his veil when entering God's presence as the pattern, so the turning itself, not a future event, takes the veil away.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry emphasizes that gospel ministers must speak plainly, unlike Moses who veiled his face. The law was obscure, full of types and shadows, but Christ has removed that veil. Now believers can clearly see the fulfillment of those shadows and are transformed by beholding the Lord's glory directly.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent highlights that the Greek word translated "shall be taken away" is actually a present tense: "is taken away." He connects this to the removal of the veil from Moses' face whenever he would go in to speak with God, drawing a parallel between that act and what is described here.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley emphasizes that spiritual blindness lifts the very moment a person turns to Christ in living faith. At that instant the veil is removed, and the believer sees with complete clarity how every Old Testament type and prophecy finds its full realization in Christ.