New Testament
2 Corinthians 5
Overview
Continuing the hope that buoyed chapter 4, Paul declares that if our earthly "tent" is destroyed we have a building from God, an eternal house in the heavens; we groan, longing to be "further clothed" so that mortality may be swallowed up by life, and God has given the Spirit as the guarantee (5:1-5). Therefore we are always of good courage, knowing that to be at home in the body is to be away from the Lord—"we walk by faith, not by sight"—and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord (5:6-8). So we make it our aim to please Him, "for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ" to receive what is due for what we have done (5:9-10). Knowing this fear of the Lord, Paul persuades others, controlled by the love of Christ, having concluded that One died for all, therefore all died, that those who live might live no longer for themselves but for Him who died and rose (5:11-15). Consequently he regards no one according to the flesh: "if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation" (5:16-17). All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, making Paul an ambassador who implores, "Be reconciled to God," because God made the sinless Christ "to be sin" for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (5:18-21).
1For we know that if the earthly house of our tent is dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens.
2For most certainly in this we groan, longing to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven,
3if indeed being clothed, we will not be found naked.
4For indeed we who are in this tent do groan, being burdened, not that we desire to be unclothed, but that we desire to be clothed, that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.
5Now he who made us for this very thing is God, who also gave to us the down payment of the Spirit.
6Therefore we are always confident and know that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord;
7for we walk by faith, not by sight.
8We are courageous, I say, and are willing rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.
9Therefore also we make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well pleasing to him.
10For we must all be revealed before the judgment seat of Christ that each one may receive the things in the body according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
11Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are revealed to God, and I hope that we are revealed also in your consciences.
12For we are not commending ourselves to you again, but speak as giving you occasion of boasting on our behalf, that you may have something to answer those who boast in appearance and not in heart.
13For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God. Or if we are of sober mind, it is for you.
14For the love of Christ compels us; because we judge thus: that one died for all, therefore all died.
15He died for all, that those who live should no longer live to themselves, but to him who for their sakes died and rose again.
16Therefore we know no one according to the flesh from now on. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him so no more.
17Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new.
18But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ, and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not reckoning to them their trespasses, and having committed to us the word of reconciliation.
20We are therefore ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
21For him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.