2 Corinthians, 5

1. For we are well aware that when the tent that houses us on earth is folded up, there is a house for us from God, not made by human hands but everlasting, in the heavens.

1. For we know that if our earthly house of [this] tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

2. And in this earthly state we do indeed groan,

2. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:

3. longing to put on our heavenly home over the present one; if indeed we are to be found clothed rather than stripped bare.

3. If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.

4. Yes, indeed, in this present tent, we groan under the burden, not that we want to be stripped of our covering, but because we want to be covered with a second garment on top, so that what is mortal in us may be swallowed up by life.

4. For we that are in [this] tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.

5. It is God who designed us for this very purpose, and he has given us the Spirit as a pledge.

5. Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing [is] God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.

6. We are always full of confidence, then, realising that as long as we are at home in the body we are exiled from the Lord,

6. Therefore [we are] always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:

7. guided by faith and not yet by sight;

7. (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

8. we are full of confidence, then, and long instead to be exiled from the body and to be at home with the Lord.

8. We are confident, [I say], and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

9. And so whether at home or exiled, we make it our ambition to please him.

9. Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.

10. For at the judgement seat of Christ we are all to be seen for what we are, so that each of us may receive what he has deserved in the body, matched to whatever he has done, good or bad.

10. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things [done] in [his] body, according to that he hath done, whether [it be] good or bad.

11. And so it is with the fear of the Lord always in mind that we try to win people over. But God sees us for what we are, and I hope your consciences do too.

11. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.

12. Again we are saying this not to commend ourselves to you, but simply to give you the opportunity to take pride in us, so that you may have an answer for those who take pride in appearances and not inner reality.

12. For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to [answer] them which glory in appearance, and not in heart.

13. If we have been unreasonable, it was for God; if reasonable, for you.

13. For whether we be beside ourselves, [it is] to God: or whether we be sober, [it is] for your cause.

14. For the love of Christ overwhelms us when we consider that if one man died for all, then all have died;

14. For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:

15. his purpose in dying for all humanity was that those who live should live not any more for themselves, but for him who died and was raised to life.

15. And [that] he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

16. From now onwards, then, we will not consider anyone by human standards: even if we were once familiar with Christ according to human standards, we do not know him in that way any longer.

16. Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we [him] no more.

17. So for anyone who is in Christ, there is a new creation: the old order is gone and a new being is there to see.

17. Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

18. It is all God's work; he reconciled us to himself through Christ and he gave us the ministry of reconciliation.

18. And all things [are] of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

19. I mean, God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not holding anyone's faults against them, but entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

19. To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

20. So we are ambassadors for Christ; it is as though God were urging you through us, and in the name of Christ we appeal to you to be reconciled to God.

20. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech [you] by us: we pray [you] in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

21. For our sake he made the sinless one a victim for sin, so that in him we might become the uprightness of God.

21. For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.