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)

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)

2 We sigh with longing for this, wanting so badly to be clothed with this new heavenly home.

Even while in our present body we sigh, longing to put over it our heavenly house,

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

sure that, when we have put it on, we will never 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.

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.

5 It's God himself who prepared us for all this, and who provided the Spirit as a guarantee to us.

And he who has prepared us for this change is God, who has also given us his Spirit as a pledge.

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, knowing that, while our home is in the body, we are absent from our home with the Lord.

7 (For we live by trusting in God, not by seeing him.)

For we guide our lives by faith, and not by what we see.

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

And in this confidence we would gladly leave our home in the body, and make our 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.

Therefore, whether in our home or absent from our home, our one ambition is to please him.

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 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.

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, 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.

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’ 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.

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

For, if we were ‘beside ourselves,’ it was in God’s service! If we are not in our senses, it is in yours!

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

It is the love of the Christ which compels us, when we reflect that, as 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 that he died for all, so that the living should no longer live for themselves, but for him who died and rose for them.

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.

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.

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 union with Christ, he is a new being! His old life has passed away; a new life has begun!

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.

But all this is the work of 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.

To proclaim that God, in Christ, was reconciling the world to himself, not reckoning people’s offences against them, and that he had entrusted us with the message of this 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?”

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.

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.

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.