2 Corinthians 5

1 We know that when this earthly “tent” we live in is taken down, we have a house prepared by God, not made by human hands. It is eternal and is 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 We sigh with longing for this, wanting so badly to be clothed with this new heavenly home.

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

3 When we put on this clothing we won't be seen naked.

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

4 While we are in this “tent” we sigh, being weighed down by this life. It's not so much that we want to take off the clothing of this life but that we look forward to what we shall be clothed with, so that what is mortal may be overwhelmed 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 It's God himself who prepared us for all this, and who provided the Spirit as a guarantee to us.

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 we remain confident, knowing that while we are at home here in our physical bodies, 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 live by trusting in God, not by seeing him.)

For we walk by faith, not by sight.

8 As I say, we are confident, wanting to be away from the body so we can be at home with the Lord.

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

9 That's why our goal, whether home here in our bodies or not, is to make sure we please him.

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

10 For all of us must appear before Christ's seat of judgment. Each of us will receive what we deserve for what we have done in this life, whether it is 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 Knowing how we are in awe of the Lord, we try to convince others. It's clear to God what we are, and I hope that it's clear to your minds too.

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 trying to speak well of ourselves again, just trying to give you the opportunity to be proud of us, so you can answer those who are proud of outward show and not what they are inside.

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 If we are “crazy people,” it's for God. If we make good sense, it's for you.

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

14 Christ's love urges us on, because we're absolutely sure that he died for everyone, and so everyone died.

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

15 Christ died for everyone so that they shouldn't live any longer for themselves, but for him who died and rose again for them.

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 From now on we don't look at anyone from a human point of view. Even though we once viewed Christ this way, we don't do so any longer.

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 That's why anyone who is in Christ is a new being—what was old is gone, the new has come!

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

18 God did all this by changing us from enemies into friends through Christ. God gave us this same work of changing his enemies into his friends.

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

19 For God was in Christ bringing the world back from hostility to friendship with him, not counting anyone's sins against them, and giving us this message to change his enemies into his friends.

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 ambassadors for Christ, as though God is pleading through us: “Please, won't you come back and be God's friend?”

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 God made Jesus, who never personally sinned, experience the consequences of sin so that we could have a character that is good and right just as God is good and right.

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