2 Corinthians 3:8-9

πῶς οὐχὶ μᾶλλον κ. τ. λ.: how shall not rather the Ministration of the Spirit be with glory? For if the Ministration of Condemnation be glory (if we read τῇ διακονίᾳ we must render, with the American Revisers, “ has glory”), much rather doth the Ministration of Righteousness exceed in glory. Cf. Romans 5:16, τὸ μὲν γὰρ κρίμα ἐξ ἑνὸς εἰς κατάκριμα, τὸ δὲ χάρισμα ἐκ πολλῶν παραπτωμάτων εἰς δικαίωμα, and Romans 8:1, οὐδὲν γὰρ νῦν κατάκριμα τοῖς ἐν Χρ. Ἰη. The phrase διακονοι δικαιοσύνης is used again at 2 Corinthians 11:15, as descriptive of the ministers of the New Covenant; it is an essential point of Pauline theology that “righteousness” is not of the “law” (Galatians 3:21). The argument is a minori ad majus.