The beginning of verse 13 is literally “and not as Moses put a veil on his face.” Translators may need to supply words such as “and we do not act like Moses” in order to make this an independent sentence instead of continuing from verse 12 as in Revised Standard Version. Revised English Bible begins this verse “it is not for us to do as Moses did: he put a veil….” But the relationship to the idea of speaking boldly in verse 12 may still be obscure in some languages. Knox shows the relationship more clearly with “It is not for us to use veiled language, as Moses veiled his face.”

Veil: the term thus translated is found only in this section (although a related verb is used in 1 Cor 11.6). The related verb means simply “to hide.” It was therefore a kind of cloth used to conceal something, in this case Moses’ face. In many languages the only alternative will be to use the word “cloth.” Note that Contemporary English Version uses the verb “cover” without indicating what kind of material fulfilled that purpose.

The Israelites is literally “the sons of Israel,” but this is more naturally translated “the people of Israel” in most languages (see 3.7).

On the meaning of the word translated see in Revised Standard Version, see comments on “could not look at” in 3.7. Here again the idea is to stare or to look for longer periods of time.

The end of the fading splendor does not mean that the splendor stopped fading and yet remained to some degree. The end of the fading splendor of the fading splendor means that the splendor ceased to exist altogether. The participle translated as the fading splendor in Revised Standard Version is neuter as in 3.11 (referring to the old covenant), and not feminine as in 3.7 (referring to the splendor).

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellingworth, Paul. A Handbook on Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1993. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .