5 Our bodies are like a tent that we live in here on earth. One day, that home will come to an end. But we know that God will give us a new home. It is not a house that a human builder has built. God has built it for us in heaven and we will live there for ever. 2 Now, while we are in our body here on earth, we cry inside ourselves. We want to go and live in our house that is in heaven. 3 That will be like new clothes that we put on. When we go to live there, we will not be without clothes and ashamed.
4 While we still live in our bodies here on earth, we cry inside ourselves. Many difficult things happen to us. We do not really want to take off our old body. But we do want to put on our new body, like new clothes. When that happens, we will no longer need our old body which had to die. Instead we will have a new body that will live for ever. 5 God is the one who has prepared us to have a new life in heaven one day. He has given his Spirit to be with us now. Because of that, we know that we will receive all God's good things one day.
6 Because God's Spirit is with us, we continue to be brave. While we still live here on earth, we know that we are not yet at home with the Lord. 7 As we live here, we have to trust God. We do not yet see the things that belong to heaven. 8 We are brave because we trust God. We would like to go away from our body here on earth. Then we would go to be at home with the Lord. And that would be better! 9 But all the time we want to please the Lord. We want to do that while we are still at home in our body here on earth. We also want to please him when we go away from these bodies. 10 Because all of us must go and stand in front of Christ as our judge. He will decide about the things that we have done during our lives here on earth. Whether we have done good things or bad things, we will receive what is right for us.
11 We know that the Lord will judge us, so we are careful to obey him. Because of that, we tell God's message to people. We want them to believe in God. And God himself knows that we try to do what is right. I hope that you know that also, when you think about it.
12 We are not trying again to make you think that our work is good. But we do want to give you the chance to be proud of us. Then you will be able to show the false teachers that they are wrong. They are proud about what they look like on the outside. They do not think about what they are really like inside themselves. 13 To some people, we may seem to be crazy. That is because we want to serve God. But if we seem to be wise, that is to help you.
14 Whatever we do, we do it because Christ loves us. We know that one man, Christ, died on behalf of all people. So we also know that all of us died with him. 15 He died on behalf of all people. So, while we live, we no longer live to please ourselves. Instead, we live to please Christ. He is the one that died on our behalf. He is the one that God raised up, to live again.
16 So that changes how we think about people. We no longer use human ideas to think what they are like. At one time, we thought about Christ as humans think. But now we think about him very differently! 17 When anyone belongs to Christ, they become a new person. Their old way of life has gone. Their new life has begun!
18 All this is what God does for us. Because of what Christ has done, God has brought us back to himself, as his friends. Now he wants us to bring other people to be his friends too. That is the job that he has given to us. 19 God's message is this: By Christ's death, God was bringing people of the world back to himself, as his friends. He would no longer keep their sins in his thoughts. This is the message that God wants us to tell people.
20 So we speak to people on behalf of Christ. It is like this: When we speak, God himself is speaking to you. On behalf of Christ, we say to you, ‘Please come back to God, as his friends!’ 21 Christ never did any wrong thing, but God punished him as if he had. He died as punishment for our sins. As a result, we become right with God when we belong to Christ. We become right, because he is right.
5 We know that our body—the tent we live in here on earth—will be destroyed. But when that happens, God will have a home for us to live in. It will not be the kind of home people build here. It will be a home in heaven that will continue forever. 2 But now we are tired of this body. We want God to give us our heavenly home. 3 It will clothe us and we will not be naked. 4 While we live in this tent, we have burdens and so we complain. I don’t mean that we want to remove this tent, but we want to be clothed with our heavenly home. Then this body that dies will be covered with life. 5 This is what God himself made us for. And he has given us the Spirit as the first payment to guarantee the life to come.
6 So we always have confidence. We know that while we live in this body, we are away from the Lord. 7 We live by what we believe will happen, not by what we can see. 8 So I say that we have confidence. And we really want to be away from this body and be at home with the Lord. 9 Our only goal is to always please the Lord, whether we are living here in this body or there with him. 10 We must all stand before Christ to be judged. Everyone will get what they should. They will be paid for whatever they did—good or bad—when they lived in this earthly body.
11 We know what it means to fear the Lord, so we try to help people accept the truth. God knows what we really are, and I hope that in your hearts you know us too. 12 We are not trying to prove ourselves to you again. But we are telling you about ourselves. We are giving you reasons to be proud of us. Then you will have an answer for those who are proud about what can be seen. They don’t care about what is in a person’s heart. 13 If we are crazy, it is for God. If we have our right mind, it is for you. 14 The love of Christ controls us, because we know that one person died for everyone. So all have died. 15 He died for all so that those who live would not continue to live for themselves. He died for them and was raised from death so that they would live for him.
16 From this time on we don’t think of anyone as the world thinks of people. It is true that in the past we thought of Christ as the world thinks. But we don’t think that way now. 17 When anyone is in Christ, it is a whole new world. [ a ] The old things are gone; suddenly, everything is new! 18 All this is from God. Through Christ, God made peace between himself and us. And God gave us the work of bringing people into peace with him. 19 I mean that God was in Christ, making peace between the world and himself. In Christ, God did not hold people guilty for their sins. And he gave us this message of peace to tell people. 20 So we have been sent to speak for Christ. It is like God is calling to people through us. We speak for Christ when we beg you to be at peace with God. 21 Christ had no sin, but God made him become sin [ b ] so that in Christ we could be right with God.
5 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:
3 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.
4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.
5 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.
6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.
12 For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart.
13 For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause.
14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
5 For we know that if our [ a ] ( A ) earthly ( B ) tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house ( C ) not made by hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For indeed, in this tent we ( D ) groan, longing to be ( E ) clothed with our [ b ] dwelling from heaven, 3 since in fact after putting it on, we will not be found naked. 4 For indeed, we who are in this tent ( F ) groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be ( G ) clothed, so that what is ( H ) mortal will be swallowed up by life. 5 Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who ( I ) gave us the Spirit as a [ c ] pledge.
6 Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that ( J ) while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— 7 for ( K ) we walk by faith, not by [ d ] sight— 8 but we are of good courage and ( L ) prefer rather to be absent from the body and ( M ) to be at home with the Lord. 9 Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be ( N ) pleasing to Him. 10 For we must all appear before ( O ) the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive compensation for [ e ] his deeds done through the body, in accordance with what he has done, whether good or bad.
11 Therefore, knowing the ( P ) fear of the Lord, we persuade people, but we are well known to God; and I hope that we are also ( Q ) well known in your consciences. 12 We are not commending ourselves to you ( R ) again, but are giving you an ( S ) opportunity to be proud of us, so that you will have an answer for those who take pride in appearance and not in heart. 13 For if we have ( T ) lost our minds, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you. 14 For the love of Christ ( U ) controls us, having concluded this, that ( V ) one died for all, therefore all died; 15 and He died for all, so that those who live would no longer ( W ) live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose on their behalf.
16 Therefore from now on we recognize no one [ f ] ( X ) by the flesh; even though we have known Christ by the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. 17 Therefore if anyone is ( Y ) in Christ, this person is ( Z ) a new [ g ] creation; ( AA ) the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 18 Now ( AB ) all these things are from God, ( AC ) who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ( AD ) ministry of reconciliation, 19 namely, that ( AE ) God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, ( AF ) not counting their wrongdoings against them, and [ h ] He has [ i ] committed to us the word of reconciliation.
20 Therefore, we are ( AG ) ambassadors for Christ, ( AH ) as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be ( AI ) reconciled to God. 21 He made Him who ( AJ ) knew no sin to be [ j ] ( AK ) sin in our behalf, so that we might become the ( AL ) righteousness of God in Him.
5 For we know that if the earthly ( A ) tent ( B ) we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. 2 Meanwhile we groan, ( C ) longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, ( D ) 3 because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. 4 For while we are in this tent, we groan ( E ) and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, ( F ) so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. ( G )
6 Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7 For we live by faith, not by sight. ( H ) 8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. ( I ) 9 So we make it our goal to please him, ( J ) whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us ( K ) for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
11 Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, ( L ) we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. ( M ) 12 We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, ( N ) but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, ( O ) so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. 13 If we are “out of our mind,” ( P ) as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. ( Q ) 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves ( R ) but for him who died for them ( S ) and was raised again.
16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly ( T ) point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, ( U ) the new creation ( V ) has come: [ a ] The old has gone, the new is here! ( W ) 18 All this is from God, ( X ) who reconciled us to himself through Christ ( Y ) and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. ( Z ) And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, ( AA ) as though God were making his appeal through us. ( AB ) We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. ( AC ) 21 God made him who had no sin ( AD ) to be sin [ b ] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. ( AE )
