2 Corinthians 5

¹For we know that if the earthly tent we [live in] is dismantled, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.

²For in this [tent] we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling,

³because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked.

⁴For [while] we are in [this] tent, we groan under our burdens, because we do not wish to be unclothed but clothed, so that [our] mortality may be swallowed up by life.

⁵And [it is] God who has prepared us for this very [purpose] [and] has given us the Spirit as a pledge of what is to come.

⁶Therefore we are always confident, although we know that while we are at home in the body, we are away from the Lord.

⁷For we walk by faith, not by sight.

⁸We are confident, then, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

⁹So we aspire to please Him, whether we are at home [in this body] or away from it.

¹⁰For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive his due for the things done in the body, whether good or bad.

¹¹Therefore, since we know [what it means] to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is clear to God, and I hope it is clear to your conscience as well.

¹²We are not commending ourselves to you again. Instead, we are giving you an occasion to be proud of us, so that you can answer those who take pride in appearances [rather than] in [the] heart.

¹³If we are out of our mind, [it is] for God; if we are of sound mind, [it is] for you.

¹⁴For Christ’s love compels us, [because] we are convinced that One died for all, therefore all died.

¹⁵And He died for all, that those who live {should} no longer live for themselves, but for Him [who] died for them and was raised again.

¹⁶So from now on we regard no one according to [the] flesh. Although we once regarded Christ [in this way], [we do so] no longer.

¹⁷Therefore if anyone [is] in Christ, [he is] a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, [the] new has come!

¹⁸All this [is] from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:

¹⁹that God was reconciling [the] world to Himself in Christ, not counting [men’s] trespasses against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation.

²⁰Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ: Be reconciled to God.

²¹[God] made Him who knew no sin [to be] sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become [the] righteousness of God.