John Calvin Commentary 2 Corinthians 3:2

"Ye are our epistle, written in our hearts, known and read of all men;" — 2 Corinthians 3:2 (ASV)

You are our epistle. There is considerable ingenuity in his making his own glory depend on the well-being of the Corinthians. “As long as you remain Christians, I will have recommendation enough. For your faith speaks my praise, as being the seal of my apostleship” (1 Corinthians 9:2).

When he says—written in our hearts, this may be understood in reference to Silvanus and Timothy, and in that case the meaning will be: “We are not content with this praise, which we derive from the thing itself. The recommendations that others have fly about before the eyes of men, but this, which we have, has its seat in men’s consciences.” It may also be viewed as referring in part to the Corinthians, in this sense: “Those who obtain recommendations through entreaty do not have in their conscience what they carry about written on paper, and those who recommend others often do so more out of favor than from judgment. We, on the other hand, have the testimony of our apostleship, on this side and on that, engraved on men’s hearts.”

Which is known and read. It might also be read—“Which is known and acknowledged,” owing to the ambiguity of the word ἀναγινωσκεσαι, and I am inclined to think the latter might be more suitable. I was unwilling, however, to depart from the common rendering, unless constrained to do so. I only bring this to the reader's attention so that he may consider which of the two renderings is preferable. If we render it acknowledged, there will be an implied contrast between a letter that is sure and of unquestionable authority, and those that are counterfeit. And, unquestionably, what immediately follows tends to support the latter rendering, for he brings forward the Epistle of Christ in contrast with those that are forged and spurious.