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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© 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved.
2 Corinthians 5
5
1 #
Ws 9.15. Our bodies are like tents that we live in here on earth. But when these tents are destroyed, we know that God will give each of us a place to live. These homes will not be buildings someone has made, but they are in heaven and will last forever. 2While we are here on earth, we sigh because we want to live in that heavenly home. 3We want to put it on like clothes and not be naked.
4These tents we now live in are like a heavy burden, and we groan. But we don't do this just because we want to leave these bodies that will die. It is because we want to change them for bodies that will never die. 5God is the one who makes all this possible. He has given us his Spirit to make us certain he will do it. 6So always be cheerful!
As long as we are in these bodies, we are away from the Lord. 7But we live by faith, not by what we see. 8We should be cheerful, because we would rather leave these bodies and be at home with the Lord. 9But whether we are at home with the Lord or away from him, we still try our best to please him. 10#Ro 14.10. After all, Christ will judge each of us for the good or the bad that we do while living in these bodies.
Bringing People to God
11We know what it means to respect the Lord, and we encourage everyone to turn to him. God himself knows what we are like, and I hope you also know what kind of people we are. 12We are not trying once more to brag about ourselves. But we want you to be proud of us, when you are with those who are not sincere and brag about what others think of them.
13If we seem out of our minds, it is between God and us. But if we are in our right minds, it is for your good. 14We are ruled by Christ's love for us. We are certain that if one person died for everyone else, then all of us have died. 15And Christ did die for all of us. He died so we would no longer live for ourselves, but for the one who died and was raised to life for us.
16We are careful not to judge people by what they seem to be, though we once judged Christ in this way. 17Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new. 18God has done it all! He sent Christ to make peace between himself and us, and he has given us the work of making peace between himself and others.
19What we mean is that God was in Christ, offering peace and forgiveness to the people of this world. And he has given us the work of sharing his message about peace. 20We were sent to speak for Christ, and God is begging you to listen to our message. We speak for Christ and sincerely ask you to make peace with God. 21Christ never sinned! But God treated him as a sinner, so Christ could make us acceptable to God.
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.