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2 Corinthians 5
New Testament for Everyone
2 Corinthians 5
New Testament for Everyone
A house waiting in the heavens
5 For we know that if our earthly house, our present “tent,” is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house no human hands have built: it is everlasting, in the heavenly places. 2 At the present moment, you see, we are groaning, as we long to put on our heavenly building, 3 in the belief that by putting it on we won’t turn out to be naked. 4 Yes: in the present “tent,” we groan under a great weight. But we don’t want to put it off; we want to put on something else on top, so that what is doomed to die may be swallowed up with life. 5 It is God who has been at work in us to do this, the God who has given us the spirit as the first installment and guarantee.
The judgment seat of the Messiah
6 So we are always confident: we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7 We live our lives by faith, you see, not by sight. 8 We are confident, and we would much prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So we work hard, as a point of honor, to please him, whether we are at home or away. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of the Messiah, so that each may receive what has been done through the body, whether good or bad.
The Messiah’s love makes us press on
11 So we know the fear of the Lord; and that’s why we are persuading people—but we are open to God, and open as well, I hope, to your consciences. 12 We aren’t trying to recommend ourselves again! We are giving you a chance to be proud of us, to have something to say to those who take pride in appearances rather than in people’s hearts.
13 If we are beside ourselves, you see, it’s for God; and if we are in our right mind, it’s for you. 14 For the Messiah’s love makes us press on. We have come to the conviction that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all in order that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and was raised on their behalf.
New creation, new ministry
16 From this moment on, therefore, we don’t regard anybody from a merely human point of view. Even if we once regarded the Messiah that way, we don’t do so any longer. 17 Thus, if anyone is in the Messiah, there is a new creation! Old things have gone, and look—everything has become new!
18 It all comes from God. He reconciled us to himself through the Messiah, and he gave us the ministry of reconciliation. 19 This is how it came about: God was reconciling the world to himself in the Messiah, not counting their transgressions against them, and entrusting us with the message of reconciliation. 20 So we are ambassadors, speaking on behalf of the Messiah, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore people on the Messiah’s behalf to be reconciled to God. 21 The Messiah did not know sin, but God made him to be sin on our behalf, so that in him we might embody God’s faithfulness to the covenant.
2 Corinthians 5
New International Version
2 Corinthians 5
New International Version
Awaiting the New Body
5 For we know that if the earthly(A) tent(B) we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. 2 Meanwhile we groan,(C) longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling,(D) 3 because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. 4 For while we are in this tent, we groan(E) and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling,(F) so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now 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.(G)
6 Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7 For we live by faith, not by sight.(H) 8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.(I) 9 So we make it our goal to please him,(J) whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us(K) for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
The Ministry of Reconciliation
11 Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord,(L) we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience.(M) 12 We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again,(N) but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us,(O) so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. 13 If we are “out of our mind,”(P) as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.(Q) 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves(R) but for him who died for them(S) and was raised again.
16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly(T) point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ,(U) the new creation(V) has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here!(W) 18 All this is from God,(X) who reconciled us to himself through Christ(Y) and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them.(Z) And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors,(AA) as though God were making his appeal through us.(AB) We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.(AC) 21 God made him who had no sin(AD) to be sin[b] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.(AE)
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 5:17 Or Christ, that person is a new creation.
- 2 Corinthians 5:21 Or be a sin offering
2 Corinthians 5
King James Version
2 Corinthians 5
King James Version
5 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 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:
3 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.
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 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.
6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.
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 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 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 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 constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
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 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 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
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 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 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 he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
New Testament for Everyone (NTFE) 
Scripture quotations from The New Testament for Everyone are copyright © Nicholas Thomas Wright 2011, 2018, 2019.
New International Version (NIV) 
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