2 Corinthians 5
5
1We know that if the tent that we live in on earth is torn down, we have a building from God. It’s a house that isn’t handmade, which is eternal and located in heaven. 2We groan while we live in this residence. We really want to dress ourselves with our building from heaven— 3since we assume that when we take off this tent, we won’t find out that we are naked. 4Yes, while we are in this tent we groan, because we are weighed down. We want to be dressed not undressed, so that what is dying can be swallowed up by life. 5Now the one who prepared us for this very thing is God, and God gave us the Spirit as a down payment for our home.
6So we are always confident, because we know that while we are living in the body, we are away from our home with the Lord. 7We live by faith and not by sight. 8We are confident, and we would prefer to leave the body and to be at home with the Lord. 9So our goal is to be acceptable to him, whether we are at home or away from home. 10We all must appear before Christ in court so that each person can be paid back for the things that were done while in the body, whether they were good or bad.
Ministry of reconciliation
11So we try to persuade people, since we know what it means to fear the Lord. We are well known by God, and I hope that in your heart we are well known by you as well. 12We aren’t trying to commend ourselves to you again. Instead, we are giving you an opportunity to be proud of us so that you could answer those who take pride in superficial appearance, and not in what is in the heart.
13If we are crazy, it’s for God’s sake. If we are rational, it’s for your sake. 14The love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: one died for the sake of all; therefore, all died. 15He died for the sake of all so that those who are alive should live not for themselves but for the one who died for them and was raised.
16So then, from this point on we won’t recognize people by human standards. Even though we used to know Christ by human standards, that isn’t how we know him now. 17So then, if anyone is in Christ, that person is part of the new creation. The old things have gone away, and look, new things have arrived!
18All of these new things are from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and who gave us the ministry of reconciliation. 19In other words, God was reconciling the world to himself through Christ, by not counting people’s sins against them. He has trusted us with this message of reconciliation.
20So we are ambassadors who represent Christ. God is negotiating with you through us. We beg you as Christ’s representatives, “Be reconciled to God!” 21God caused the one who didn’t know sin to be sin for our sake so that through him we could become the righteousness of God.
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2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
2 Corinthians 5
5
Our Future after Death
1For we know that if our temporary, earthly dwelling # = our present physical body # 2Pt 1:13 is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal dwelling # = our future body in the heavens, # Eph 6:9; Php 2:10 not made with hands. # Col 2:11 2Indeed, we groan in this body, desiring # 1Pt 2:2 to put on our dwelling from heaven, 3since, when we are clothed, # Other mss read stripped we will not be found naked. # Mt 25:36; Lk 10:30 4Indeed, we groan while we are in this tent, burdened as we are, because we do not want to be unclothed but clothed, so that mortality # Rm 7:24; 8:23; 1Co 15:26 may be swallowed up by life. 5And the One who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the Spirit as a down payment.
6So, we are always confident and know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7For we walk by faith, # Mt 8:10; Ac 3:16; Rm 1:8; 1Co 2:5; Gl 2:16; 1Tm 1:2; Heb 4:2 not by sight, # Lk 3:22 8and we are confident and satisfied to be out of the body and at home with the Lord. # Php 1:23 9Therefore, whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to be pleasing # Heb 13:21 to Him. 10For we must all appear before the tribunal # Jn 5:22-30 of Christ, # Mt 25:31-46; Php 1:6; Heb 10:31 so that each may be repaid # Mt 16:27 for what he has done in the body, whether good or worthless.
11Therefore, because we know the fear of the Lord, # Ps 147:11; Pr 1:7; 1Pt 1:17; Rv 14:7 we seek to persuade people. We are completely open before God, and I hope we are completely open to your consciences as well. 12We are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving you an opportunity to be proud of us, so that you may have a reply for those who take pride in the outward appearance # Lit in face rather than in the heart. 13For if we are out of our mind, # Ac 10:45 it is for God; if we have a sound mind, # 1Pt 4:7 it is for you. 14For Christ’s love compels # Or For the love of Christ impels, or For the love of Christ controls us, since we have reached this conclusion: If One died for all, # Jn 11:51; 2Co 4:10 then all died. 15And He died for all # Lk 20:38; Heb 2:9 so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, # Rm 14:7 but for the One # Lk 20:38 who died for them and was raised.
The Ministry of Reconciliation
16From now on, then, we do not know # Or regard anyone in a purely human way. # Lit anyone according to the flesh Even if we have known # Or have regarded Christ in a purely human way, # Lit Christ according to the flesh yet now we no longer know # Or regard Him in this way. 17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; # Jn 1:3; Rv 3:14 old things have passed away, and look, # Rm 8:24 new things # Other mss read look, all new things have come. # Is 43:19; 65:17; Rm 6:4; Eph 4:24; Rv 21:5 18Everything is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: # Rm 5:11 19That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world # 2Pt 2:20 to Himself, # Ti 2:11 not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed the message of reconciliation to us. 20Therefore, we are ambassadors # Eph 6:20 for Christ, certain that God is appealing through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, # 2Co 12:10; Php 1:29 “Be reconciled to God.” 21He made the One who did not know sin # 1Jn 3:5 to be sin # Or be a sin offering for us, # Rm 8:3; Gl 3:13; 1Pt 2:24 so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
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