Προς Κορινθιους Β΄ 5

1 οιδαμεν γαρ οτι εαν η επιγειος ημων οικια του σκηνους καταλυθη οικοδομην εκ θεου εχομεν οικιαν αχειροποιητον αιωνιον εν τοις ουρανοις (aiōnios g166)

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)

2 και γαρ εν τουτω στεναζομεν το οικητηριον ημων το εξ ουρανου επενδυσασθαι επιποθουντες

[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].

3 ειγε και ενδυσαμενοι ου γυμνοι ευρεθησομεθα

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

4 και γαρ οι οντες εν τω σκηνει στεναζομεν βαρουμενοι εφ ω ου θελομεν εκδυσασθαι αλλ επενδυσασθαι ινα καταποθη το θνητον υπο της ζωης

[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].

5 ο δε κατεργασαμενος ημας εις αυτο τουτο θεος ο και δους ημιν τον αρραβωνα του πνευματος

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].

6 θαρρουντες ουν παντοτε και ειδοτες οτι ενδημουντες εν τω σωματι εκδημουμεν απο του κυριου

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].

7 δια πιστεως γαρ περιπατουμεν ου δια ειδους

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

8 θαρρουμεν δε και ευδοκουμεν μαλλον εκδημησαι εκ του σωματος και ενδημησαι προς τον κυριον

[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].

9 διο και φιλοτιμουμεθα ειτε ενδημουντες ειτε εκδημουντες ευαρεστοι αυτω ειναι

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.

10 τους γαρ παντας ημας φανερωθηναι δει εμπροσθεν του βηματος του χριστου ινα κομισηται εκαστος τα δια του σωματος προς α επραξεν ειτε αγαθον ειτε κακον

[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.

11 ειδοτες ουν τον φοβον του κυριου ανθρωπους πειθομεν θεω δε πεφανερωμεθα ελπιζω δε και εν ταις συνειδησεσιν υμων πεφανερωσθαι

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.

12 ου γαρ παλιν εαυτους συνιστανομεν υμιν αλλα αφορμην διδοντες υμιν καυχηματος υπερ ημων ινα εχητε προς τους εν προσωπω καυχωμενους και ου καρδια

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].

13 ειτε γαρ εξεστημεν θεω ειτε σωφρονουμεν υμιν

[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.

14 η γαρ αγαπη του χριστου συνεχει ημας κριναντας τουτο οτι ει εις υπερ παντων απεθανεν αρα οι παντες απεθανον

[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.

15 και υπερ παντων απεθανεν ινα οι ζωντες μηκετι εαυτοις ζωσιν αλλα τω υπερ αυτων αποθανοντι και εγερθεντι

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.

16 ωστε ημεις απο του νυν ουδενα οιδαμεν κατα σαρκα ει δε και εγνωκαμεν κατα σαρκα χριστον αλλα νυν ουκετι γινωσκομεν

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.

17 ωστε ει τις εν χριστω καινη κτισις τα αρχαια παρηλθεν ιδου γεγονεν καινα τα παντα

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].

18 τα δε παντα εκ του θεου του καταλλαξαντος ημας εαυτω δια ιησου χριστου και δοντος ημιν την διακονιαν της καταλλαγης

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.

19 ως οτι θεος ην εν χριστω κοσμον καταλλασσων εαυτω μη λογιζομενος αυτοις τα παραπτωματα αυτων και θεμενος εν ημιν τον λογον της καταλλαγης

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.

20 υπερ χριστου ουν πρεσβευομεν ως του θεου παρακαλουντος δι ημων δεομεθα υπερ χριστου καταλλαγητε τω θεω

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.

21 τον γαρ μη γνοντα αμαρτιαν υπερ ημων αμαρτιαν εποιησεν ινα ημεις γινωμεθα δικαιοσυνη θεου εν αυτω

[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.