2 Corinthians 5
5
Awaiting the New Body
1For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. 2Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, 3because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. 4For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5Now 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.
6Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7For we live by faith, not by sight. 8We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
The Ministry of Reconciliation
11Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. 12We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. 13If we are “out of our mind,” as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and 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 from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:#5:17 Or Christ, that person is a new creation. The old has gone, the new is here! 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 people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21God made him who had no sin to be sin#5:21 Or be a sin offering for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Currently Selected:
2 Corinthians 5: NIV
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.
2 Corinthians 5
5
1We know that when this earthly “tent”#5:1. The symbolism here is of the earthly body as a tent, and the heavenly body as a house—both of which “clothe” the person. 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. 2We sigh with longing for this, wanting so badly to be clothed with this new heavenly home. 3When we put on this clothing we won't be seen naked. 4While 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. 5It's God himself who prepared us for all this, and who provided the Spirit as a guarantee to us. 6So we remain confident, knowing that while we are at home here in our physical bodies, we are away from the Lord. 7(For we live by trusting in God, not by seeing him.) 8As I say, we are confident, wanting to be away from the body so we can be at home with the Lord. 9That's why our goal, whether home here in our bodies or not, is to make sure we please him. 10For 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.
11Knowing 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. 12We 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.#5:12. Literally, “in the heart.” 13If we are “crazy people,”#5:13. This may have been a criticism of Paul and his companions by those in Corinth. it's for God. If we make good sense, it's for you. 14Christ's love urges us on, because we're absolutely sure that he died for everyone, and so everyone died. 15Christ died for everyone so that they shouldn't live any longer for themselves, but for him who died and rose again for them.
16From 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. 17That's why anyone who is in Christ is a new being—what was old is gone, the new has come! 18God 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. 19For 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. 20So we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God is pleading through us: “Please, won't you come back and be God's friend?” 21God 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.#5:21. Or “we could become right just as God is right,” meaning morally right, not in the sense of being correct.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Dr. Jonathan Gallagher. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Version 4.3. For corrections send email to jonathangallagherfbv@gmail.com