2 Corinthians 5
5
Our Heavenly Dwelling
1For we know that if #2 Pet. 1:13, 14 the tent that is #See ch. 4:7 our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, #Mark 14:58a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2For in this tent #Rom. 8:23 we groan, longing to #[1 Cor. 15:53, 54]put on our heavenly dwelling, 3if indeed by putting it on#5:3 Some manuscripts putting it off we may not be found naked. 4For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal #1 Cor. 15:54may be swallowed up by life. 5He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, #[Rom. 8:23]; See ch. 1:22who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
6So we are always of good courage. We know that #[Heb. 11:13, 14]while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7for #[John 20:29]; See ch. 4:18 we walk by faith, not #1 Cor. 13:12by sight. 8Yes, we are of good courage, and we #[Phil. 1:23]would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to #[Col. 1:10; 1 Thess. 4:1]please him. 10For #Matt. 25:31, 32; [Rom. 14:10]; See Acts 10:42 we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, #See Ps. 62:12so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
The Ministry of Reconciliation
11Therefore, knowing #[Job 31:23; Acts 9:31; Heb. 10:31; Jude 23] the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But #ch. 4:2what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. 12#See ch. 3:1 We are not commending ourselves to you again but #[ch. 1:14]giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. 13For if we #ch. 11:1, 16, 17; 12:6, 11are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14For the love of Christ #Acts 18:5 controls us, because we have concluded this: that #Rom. 5:15one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15and he died for all, #[Rom. 6:11, 12]; See Rom. 14:7 that those who live might no longer live for themselves but #[ch. 12:10]for him who for their sake died and was raised.
16From now on, therefore, #[Gal. 2:6; Phil. 3:7, 8; Col. 2:11; 1 Tim. 5:21]we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17Therefore, if anyone is #ch. 12:2; Rom. 16:7; Gal. 1:22 in Christ, he is #[John 3:3]; See Rom. 6:4 a new creation.#5:17 Or creature #Isa. 43:18, 19; Rev. 21:5; [Isa. 65:17; Eph. 2:15; 4:24; Heb. 8:13]The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18All this is from God, #Col. 1:20; See Rom. 5:10; 1 John 2:2 who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us #Rom. 5:11the ministry of reconciliation; 19that is, in Christ God was reconciling#5:19 Or God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, #Ps. 32:2; Rom. 4:8 not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us #[See ver. 18 above]the message of reconciliation. 20Therefore, #Eph. 6:20; [Mal. 2:7; Gal. 4:14] we are ambassadors for Christ, #ch. 6:1God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21#Rom. 8:3; Gal. 3:13; See Rom. 4:25 For our sake he made him to be sin #See 1 Pet. 2:22 who knew no sin, so that in him we might become #See Rom. 1:17; 1 Cor. 1:30the righteousness of God.
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2 Corinthians 5
5
New Bodies
1For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. 2We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. 3For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies.#5:3 Greek we will not be naked. 4While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. 5God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit.
6So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. 7For we live by believing and not by seeing. 8Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord. 9So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him. 10For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.
We Are God’s Ambassadors
11Because we understand our fearful responsibility to the Lord, we work hard to persuade others. God knows we are sincere, and I hope you know this, too. 12Are we commending ourselves to you again? No, we are giving you a reason to be proud of us,#5:12 Some manuscripts read proud of yourselves. so you can answer those who brag about having a spectacular ministry rather than having a sincere heart. 13If it seems we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God. And if we are in our right minds, it is for your benefit. 14Either way, Christ’s love controls us.#5:14a Or urges us on. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life.#5:14b Greek Since one died for all, then all died. 15He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.
16So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! 17This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
18And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 19For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 20So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” 21For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin,#5:21 Or to become sin itself. so that we could be made right with God through Christ.
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