Paul and Timothy continue their letter to the people of the church in Corinth.

## this is the confidence ##

The word "this" refers to Paul and Timothy's awareness of how the knowledge of Christ has changed the lives of the people of the church in Corinth.

##  competent in ourselves ##

"qualified in ourselves"

## our adequacy ##

"our qualification"

## not of the letter but of the Spirit ##

Paul uses the word "letter" to refer to the Old Testament laws because words are made up of letters.  The phrase "letter of the law" means every part of the Old Testament laws. AT: "not by obeying the law but as a gift of the Holy Spirit" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]])

## letter kills ##

This phrase means trying to perfectly obey the Old Testament law and failing will lead to spiritual death. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-personification]])