Προς Κορινθιους Β΄ 5
1 Οἴδαμεν γὰρ ὅτι ἐὰν ἡ ἐπίγειος ἡμῶν οἰκία τοῦ σκήνους καταλυθῇ, οἰκοδομὴν ἐκ Θεοῦ ἔχομεν, οἰκίαν ἀχειροποίητον, αἰώνιον ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. (aiōnios g166)
Now then, we know that though our earthly, tent-like ‘house’ may be destroyed, we have a building from God (not a handmade house), eternal in the heavens. (aiōnios g166)
2 Καὶ γὰρ ἐν τούτῳ στενάζομεν, τὸ οἰκητήριον ἡμῶν τὸ ἐξ οὐρανοῦ ἐπενδύσασθαι ἐπιποθοῦντες·
Further, in this one we do groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly habitation;
3 εἴγε καὶ ἐνδυσάμενοι οὐ γυμνοὶ εὑρεθησόμεθα.
since, obviously, once clothed we will not be found naked.
4 Καὶ γὰρ οἱ ὄντες ἐν τῷ σκήνει στενάζομεν βαρούμενοι· ἐφ᾽ ᾧ οὐ θέλομεν ἐκδύσασθαι, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπενδύσασθαι, ἵνα καταποθῇ τὸ θνητὸν ὑπὸ τῆς ζωῆς.
Yes, being in this ‘tent’ is a burden, so we groan—not enough to want to strip, but to be really clothed; that what is mortal may be swallowed up by the Life.
5 Ὁ δὲ κατεργασάμενος ἡμᾶς εἰς αὐτὸ τοῦτο Θεός, ὁ καὶ δοὺς ἡμῖν τὸν ἀρραβῶνα τοῦ πνεύματος.
Now it is God who has prepared us for this very purpose, who also has given us the down payment of the Spirit.
6 Θαρροῦντες οὖν πάντοτε, καὶ εἰδότες ὅτι ἐνδημοῦντες ἐν τῷ σώματι ἐκδημοῦμεν ἀπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου—
So we are always confident, even knowing that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord's home
7 διὰ πίστεως γὰρ περιπατοῦμεν, οὐ διὰ εἴδους—
—we walk by faith, not by sight—
8 θαρροῦμεν δέ, καὶ εὐδοκοῦμεν μᾶλλον ἐκδημῆσαι ἐκ τοῦ σώματος, καὶ ἐνδημῆσαι πρὸς τὸν Κύριον.
indeed, we are confident in preferring to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
9 Διὸ καὶ φιλοτιμούμεθα, εἴτε ἐνδημοῦντες, εἴτε ἐκδημοῦντες, εὐάρεστοι αὐτῷ εἶναι.
Yes, that is why we make it our aim (whether at home or away from it) to be well pleasing to Him.
10 Τοὺς γὰρ πάντας ἡμᾶς φανερωθῆναι δεῖ ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ βήματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἵνα κομίσηται ἕκαστος τὰ διὰ τοῦ σώματος, πρὸς ἃ ἔπραξεν, εἴτε ἀγαθόν, εἴτε κακόν.
Because we must all be exposed before Christ's Judgment Seat, that each one may receive his due for the things he did while in the body, whether good or bad.
11 Εἰδότες οὖν τὸν φόβον τοῦ Κυρίου ἀνθρώπους πείθομεν, Θεῷ δὲ πεφανερώμεθα· ἐλπίζω δὲ καὶ ἐν ταῖς συνειδήσεσιν ὑμῶν πεφανερῶσθαι.
Therefore, since we know the Lord's intimidation, we try to convince people. We are well known to God, and I hope in your consciences as well.
12 Οὐ γὰρ πάλιν ἑαυτοὺς συνιστάνομεν ὑμῖν, ἀλλὰ ἀφορμὴν διδόντες ὑμῖν καυχήματος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, ἵνα ἔχητε πρὸς τοὺς ἐν προσώπῳ καυχωμένους καὶ οὐ καρδίᾳ.
We are not commending ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity of boasting on our behalf, that you may have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in heart.
13 Εἴτε γὰρ ἐξέστημεν, Θεῷ· εἴτε σωφρονοῦμεν, ὑμῖν.
If we are ‘out of our senses’, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you.
14 Ἡ γὰρ ἀγάπη τοῦ Χριστοῦ συνέχει ἡμᾶς, κρίναντας τοῦτο, ὅτι εἰ εἷς ὑπὲρ πάντων ἀπέθανεν, ἄρα οἱ πάντες ἀπέθανον·
For Christ's love impels us, having concluded this: if One died for all it follows that all died;
15 καὶ ὑπὲρ πάντων ἀπέθανεν ἵνα οἱ ζῶντες μηκέτι ἑαυτοῖς ζῶσιν, ἀλλὰ τῷ ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν ἀποθανόντι καὶ ἐγερθέντι.
and He died for all so that those who now live should no longer live for themselves but for the One who died for all and was raised again.
16 Ὥστε ἡμεῖς ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν οὐδένα οἴδαμεν κατὰ σάρκα· εἰ δὲ καὶ ἐγνώκαμεν κατὰ σάρκα Χριστόν, ἀλλὰ νῦν οὐκέτι γινώσκομεν.
So then, from now on we regard no one from a fleshly perspective—even if we have ‘known’ Christ in this way, we do so no longer—
17 Ὥστε εἴ τις ἐν Χριστῷ, καινὴ κτίσις· τὰ ἀρχαῖα παρῆλθεν, ἰδού, γέγονε καινὰ τὰ πάντα.
so then, if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation; the old things have passed on; look, all has become new!
18 Τὰ δὲ πάντα ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ, τοῦ καταλλάξαντος ἡμᾶς ἑαυτῷ διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ δόντος ἡμῖν τὴν διακονίαν τῆς καταλλαγῆς·
And that ‘all’ is from the God who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ and given us the ministry of the reconciliation,
19 ὡς ὅτι Θεὸς ἦν ἐν Χριστῷ κόσμον καταλλάσσων ἑαυτῷ, μὴ λογιζόμενος αὐτοῖς τὰ παραπτώματα αὐτῶν, καὶ θέμενος ἐν ἡμῖν τὸν λόγον τῆς καταλλαγῆς.
namely that in Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, including committing to us the message of this reconciliation.
20 Ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ οὖν πρεσβεύομεν, ὡς τοῦ Θεοῦ παρακαλοῦντος δι᾽ ἡμῶν· δεόμεθα ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ, καταλλάγητε τῷ Θεῷ.
So then, we are Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God!
21 Τὸν γὰρ μὴ γνόντα ἁμαρτίαν, ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἁμαρτίαν ἐποίησεν, ἵνα ἡμεῖς γενώμεθα δικαιοσύνη Θεοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ.
Because He made the One who did not know sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become God's righteousness.
