2 Corinthians 5

1 We know that [these bodies] we live in [here in this world are like] [MET] tents. [They are like temporary living/dwelling places]. [So we should not be concerned about what happens to our bodies]. We know that if we are killed {if [someone] kills us}, God will give us [permanent living places. Those permanent living places] [MET] will not be houses that people have made. They [will be new bodies in which we will live forever] in heaven. (aiōnios g166)

For we know that if the earthly house of our tabernacle be dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens. (aiōnios g166)

2 [While we are here on earth, we suffer]. We often groan because we desire [to go] to heaven [where God] will give us our new [bodies] [MET].

For verily in this we groan, longing to be clothed upon with our habitation which is from heaven:

3 When [God gives us(inc) our new bodies] [MET], our [spirits will have] [LIT, MET] bodies to live in [that will last forever].

if so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.

4 [It is true that] while we are still living in these bodies [MET] [that do not last forever], we often groan [DOU] [because we desire to be free from them]. We are not longing to be without a body. Instead, [we groan because] we desire to receive our new bodies [MET] in heaven. We long for this to happen so that these bodies that are going to die some day will suddenly be changed [into bodies] that will live [forever].

For indeed we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened; not for that we would be unclothed, but that we would be clothed upon, that what is mortal may be swallowed up of life.

5 It is God himself who has prepared us to [receive] these [new bodies]. He is also the one who has guaranteed/assured us [(inc)] that this will happen. He has guaranteed it by sending his Spirit [to live inside us now].

Now he that wrought us for this very thing is God, who gave unto us the earnest of the Spirit.

6 So, [because God’s Spirit lives in us], we are always confident [that God will give us new bodies]. We know that as long as we have bodies here on [earth], we are not yet [living together] with the Lord [Jesus in heaven].

Being therefore always of good courage, and knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord

7 While we [(exc)] live [here, we] do not have our [new bodies, but we are] trusting [that God will give them to us].

(for we walk by faith, not by sight);

8 [As I said], we [(exc)] are confident [that he will give us new bodies]. We [(exc)] would much prefer to leave these bodies [which we have now], and be with the Lord [Jesus in our] home in [heaven].

we are of good courage, I say, and are willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord.

9 Because of all that, we always want to please [Jesus in everything that we do]. Whether we [(exc)] are [still living] here [in these] bodies or whether we have [left] them and are living in our home [in heaven], we want to please him.

Wherefore also we make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well-pleasing unto him.

10 [And we need to try hard to do that] because each one of us [believers] must stand before Christ [to be] judged [by him] {[when he will] judge [his people]}. [At that time] he will [reward each one of] us according to what we have done [while we lived in this world] in these bodies. [He will reward us according to] whether we have done good things or whether we have done evil things.

For we must all be made manifest before the judgment-seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things [done] in the body, according to what he hath done, whether [it be] good or bad.

11 It makes me fearful [to think that some day I will stand before the Lord for him to judge me]. So I [do everything that I can to] convince people [that they should believe] (OR, [that I teach] sincerely) [God’s message]. God knows very well [how I conduct my life and what I teach], and I really believe that you know it, too.

Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest unto God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences.

12 Once again [I say, as I write this], I am not just [trying to] make you think well/highly of me, [as some people will probably say that I am]. Instead, I am [telling you in this letter why you have] good reason [to tell those who criticize me] that you think highly of me. [I am telling you this] so that you will know what to say to those [teachers of false doctrine among you]. They are proud [of what they have done], instead of [making sure that] they [are right with God and being pleased with that].

We are not again commending ourselves unto you, but [speak] as giving you occasion of glorying on our behalf, that ye may have wherewith to answer them that glory in appearance, and not in heart.

13 [Some of them say that after God has enabled me to see visions], I [talk like] a crazy person. If [that is so, I want you to realize that I talk that way in order to please] God. On the other hand, if [you think that] I [speak and act] wisely, [that is good. I want you to know that I do] speak and act wisely in order to [help] you.

For whether we are beside ourselves, it is unto God; or whether we are of sober mind, it is unto you.

14 [I speak and act the way I do] because the love that Christ [has for people] influences me [in everything that I say and do]. When Christ died, [he suffered the punishment] for [the sins of] all people. So, we should all [think of ourselves as having] died with him, [being as unresponsive to sinful desires as] [MET] a corpse is.

For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that one died for all, therefore all died;

15 When [Christ] died for the everyone, he died in order that [we believers who are alive now] should not conduct our lives in a way that will just [please ourselves]. Instead, [we should conduct our lives in a way that will please] Christ, [because] he is the one who died for us and was brought back to life {whom [God] raised} again.

and he died for all, that they that live should no longer live unto themselves, but unto him who for their sakes died and rose again.

16 So, [because I realize how much Christ loves everyone], I no longer think about people in the way that those who do not believe [in Christ] think about [them]. Before I [was a believer], I thought about Christ in the way that other non-believers did. But I do not think of him that way any more.

Wherefore we henceforth know no man after the flesh: even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we know [him so] no more.

17 The fact is that God makes every one [of us] who [trusts] in Christ to be completely different [than we were before]. Our old [way of conducting our lives] is gone. We now have a [completely] new way of [conducting our lives].

Wherefore if any man is in Christ, [he is] a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new.

18 This [complete change in our lives] is all something that God [does]. It is God who made it possible for us to have a peaceful relationship with him. [He was able to do that] because of what Christ [did for us]. Now God [has sent] me, and those [who work] with me, to tell [people that they] can have a peaceful relationship with him.

But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave unto us the ministry of reconciliation;

19 That is, [he sent us(exc) to tell them that] when Christ [died], God was [making it possible for everyone] [MTY] in the world to have a peaceful relationship with him. He no longer keeps a record of the sinful things that [we believers] have done. The message that [God] has given to us [to tell people is how we can have a] peaceful relationship with him.

to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not reckoning unto them their trespasses, and having committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

20 So, it is I and my companions who are Christ’s representatives [in this world. When we tell people the message about Christ], it is God himself who is pleading with them by means of what we [say]. So, as true representatives of Christ, we plead with you: [Believe God’s true message about Christ in order that you may] be reconciled to {have a peaceful relationship with} him.

We are ambassadors therefore on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beseech [you] on behalf of Christ, be ye reconciled to God.

21 [You must believe that even though] Jesus never sinned, God [punished him for all the] sinful things [that people do, just] as [if Jesus had done those sinful things himself]. And because of our close relationship with Christ, God has erased the record of our sins/declared us no longer guilty for our sins.

Him who knew no sin he made [to be] sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him.