2 Corinthians 5
1 For we know that if our tent – that earthly body which is now our home – is taken down, we have a house of God’s building, a home not made by hands, imperishable, in heaven. (aiōnios g166)
For we know that if this poor tent, our earthly house, is taken down, we have in Heaven a building which God has provided, a house not built by human hands, but eternal. (aiōnios g166)
2 Even while in our present body we sigh, longing to put over it our heavenly house,
For in this one we sigh, because we long to put on over it our dwelling which comes from Heaven--
3 sure that, when we have put it on, we will never be found naked.
if indeed having really put on a robe we shall not be found to be unclothed.
4 For we who are in this tent sigh under our burden, unwilling to take it off, yet wishing to put our heavenly body over it, so that all that is mortal may be absorbed in life.
Yes, we who are in this tent certainly do sigh under our burdens, for we do not wish to lay aside that with which we are now clothed, but to put on more, so that our mortality may be absorbed in Life.
5 And he who has prepared us for this change is God, who has also given us his Spirit as a pledge.
And He who formed us with this very end in view is God, who has given us His Spirit as a pledge and foretaste of that bliss.
6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, while our home is in the body, we are absent from our home with the Lord.
We have therefore a cheerful confidence. We know that while we are at home in the body we are banished from the Lord;
7 For we guide our lives by faith, and not by what we see.
for we are living a life of faith, and not one of sight.
8 And in this confidence we would gladly leave our home in the body, and make our home with the Lord.
So we have a cheerful confidence, and we anticipate with greater delight being banished from the body and going home to the Lord.
9 Therefore, whether in our home or absent from our home, our one ambition is to please him.
And for this reason also we make it our ambition, whether at home or in exile, to please Him perfectly.
10 For at the court of the Christ we must all appear in our true characters, so that each may reap the results of the life which he has lived in the body, in accordance with his actions – whether good or worthless.
For we must all of us appear before Christ's judgement-seat in our true characters, in order that each may then receive an award for his actions in this life, in accordance with what he has done, whether it be good or whether it be worthless.
11 Therefore, because we know the fear inspired by the Lord, it is true that we are trying to win people over, but our motives are plain to God; and I hope that in your inmost hearts they are plain to you also.
Therefore, because we realize how greatly the Lord is to be feared, we are endeavouring to win men over, and God recognizes what our motives are, and I hope that you, in your hearts, recognize them too.
12 We are not “commending ourselves” again to you, but rather are giving you cause for pride in us, so that you may have an answer ready for those who pride themselves on appearances and not on character.
We are not again commending ourselves to your favour, but are furnishing you with a ground of boasting on our behalf, so that you may have a reply ready for those with whom superficial appearances are everything and sincerity of heart counts for nothing.
13 For, if we were “beside ourselves,” it was in God’s service! If we are not in our senses, it is in yours!
For if we have been beside ourselves, it has been for God's glory; or if we are now in our right senses, it is in order to be of service to you.
14 It is the love of the Christ which compels us, when we reflect that, as one died for all, therefore all died;
For the love of Christ overmasters us, the conclusion at which we have arrived being this--that One having died for all, His death was their death,
15 and that he died for all, so that the living should no longer live for themselves, but for him who died and rose for them.
and that He died for all in order that the living may no longer live to themselves, but to Him who died for them and rose again.
16 For ourselves, then, from this time forward, we refuse to regard anyone from the world’s standpoint. Even if we once thought of Christ from the standpoint of the world, yet now we do so no longer.
Therefore for the future we know no one simply as a man. Even if we have known Christ as a man, yet now we do so no longer.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in union with Christ, he is a new being! His old life has passed away; a new life has begun!
So that if any one is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old state of things has passed away; a new state of things has come into existence.
18 But all this is the work of God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation –
And all this is from God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and has appointed us to serve in the ministry of reconciliation.
19 To proclaim that God, in Christ, was reconciling the world to himself, not reckoning people’s offenses against them, and that he had entrusted us with the message of this reconciliation.
We are to tell how God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not charging men's transgressions to their account, and that He has entrusted to us the Message of this reconciliation.
20 It is, then, on Christ’s behalf that we are acting as ambassadors, God, as it were, appealing to you through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf – Be reconciled to God.
On Christ's behalf therefore we come as ambassadors, God, as it were, making entreaty through our lips: we, on Christ's behalf, beseech men to be reconciled to God.
21 For our sake God made Christ, who was innocent of sin, one with our sinfulness, so that in him we might be made one with the righteousness of God.
He has made Him who knew nothing of sin to be sin for us, in order that in Him we may become the righteousness of God.
