2 Corinthians 5

1 For we are conscious that if this our tent of flesh is taken down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in heaven. (aiōnios g166)

Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is dismantled, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. (aiōnios g166)

2 For in this we are crying in weariness, greatly desiring to be clothed with our house from heaven:

For in this tent we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling,

3 So that our spirits may not be unclothed.

because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked.

4 For truly, we who are in this tent do give out cries of weariness, for the weight of care which is on us; not because we are desiring to be free from the body, but so that we may have our new body, and death may be overcome by life.

So while we are in this tent, we groan under our burdens, because we do not wish to be unclothed but clothed, so that our mortality may be swallowed up by life.

5 Now he who has made us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a witness of what is to come.

And God has prepared us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a pledge of what is to come.

6 So, then, we are ever without fear, and though conscious that while we are in the body we are away from the Lord,

Therefore we are always confident, although we know that while we are at home in the body, we are away from the Lord.

7 (For we are walking by faith, not by seeing, )

For we walk by faith, not by sight.

8 We are without fear, desiring to be free from the body, and to be with the Lord.

We are confident, then, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

9 For this reason we make it our purpose, in the body or away from it, to be well-pleasing to him.

So we aspire to please Him, whether we are here in this body or away from it.

10 For we all have to come before Christ to be judged; so that every one of us may get his reward for the things done in the body, good or bad.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive his due for the things done in the body, whether good or bad.

11 Having in mind, then, the fear of the Lord, we put these things before men, but God sees our hearts; and it is my hope that we may seem right in your eyes.

Therefore, since we know what it means to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is clear to God, and I hope it is clear to your conscience as well.

12 We are not again requesting your approval, but we are giving you the chance of taking pride in us, so that you may be able to give an answer to those whose glory is in seeming, and not in the heart.

We are not commending ourselves to you again. Instead, we are giving you an occasion to be proud of us, so that you can answer those who take pride in appearances rather than in the heart.

13 For if we are foolish, it is to God; or if we are serious, it is for you.

If we are out of our mind, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you.

14 For it is the love of Christ which is moving us; because we are of the opinion that if one was put to death for all, then all have undergone death;

For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that One died for all, therefore all died.

15 And that he underwent death for all, so that the living might no longer be living to themselves, but to him who underwent death for them and came back from the dead.

And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and was raised again.

16 For this reason, from this time forward we have knowledge of no man after the flesh: even if we have had knowledge of Christ after the flesh, we have no longer any such knowledge.

So from now on we regard no one according to the flesh. Although we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.

17 So if any man is in Christ, he is in a new world: the old things have come to an end; they have truly become new.

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!

18 But all things are of God, who has made us at peace with himself through Christ, and has given to us the work of making peace;

All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:

19 That is, that God was in Christ making peace between the world and himself, not putting their sins to their account, and having given to us the preaching of this news of peace.

that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s trespasses against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation.

20 So we are the representatives of Christ, as if God was making a request to you through us: we make our request to you, in the name of Christ, be at peace with God.

Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ: Be reconciled to God.

21 For him who had no knowledge of sin God made to be sin for us; so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.