What Does 2 Corinthians 3:16 Mean in the King James?
Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The decisive change is a turn of orientation: as the heart turns toward the Lord, the covering is taken away.
THE MEANING
When the heart turns toward the Lord, the covering is taken away. What was hidden becomes visible; the verse presents perception as something uncovered, not something constructed by effort.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The belief that the covering makes sight impossible dissolves: the verse says the veil is removed when the heart turns toward the Lord.
THE ROOT
κάλυμμα
kalymma
GROWS FROM
καλυπτ-
kalypt-
Cover, conceal.
“vail” in this verse is kalymma. The word for “veil” belongs to the same Greek word family as ἀποκαλύπτω (apokalyptō), “uncover, reveal.” Concealment and revelation are opposite movements of one root: when the covering is removed, what was hidden can be seen.
ALSO GROWS
apokalyptō: Uncover, reveal.
ἀποκαλύπτω
The veil’s removal opens into the same root family as revelation: what is concealed becomes visible.
epikalyptō: Cover over.
ἐπικαλύπτω
This branch makes the covering action explicit, sharpening the verse’s image of an obstruction being taken away.
ἐπιστρέψῃ
epistrepsē
GROWS FROM
στρεφ-
streph-
Turn, redirect.
The verb carries the root sense of turning, while ἐπί (epi) gives this turn its direction: toward the Lord. The verse links that reorientation with the veil’s removal.
ALSO GROWS
epistrophē: Turning, return.
ἐπιστροφή
This noun shares the turn-toward sense and echoes the verse’s movement of reorientation.
apostrephō: Turn away.
ἀποστρέφω
The same turn-root can describe turning away; here the direction is toward the Lord.
THE PATTERN
As attention turns toward God, what obscures perception is lifted and sight opens.
And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations.They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.THE THREAD
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.The “vail” in both verses is the same Greek word, κάλυμμα (kalymma), the covering. Verse 14 names the veil that remains; verse 16 shows its removal as the heart turns toward the Lord.
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