2 Corinthians 5

1 We know that if the tent that we live in on earth is torn down, we have a building from God. It’s a house that isn’t handmade, which is eternal and located in heaven.2 We groan while we live in this residence. We really want to dress ourselves with our building from heaven—3 since we assume that when we take off this tent, we won’t find out that we are naked.4 Yes, while we are in this tent we groan, because we are weighed down. We want to be dressed not undressed, so that what is dying can be swallowed up by life.

5 Now the one who prepared us for this very thing is God, and God gave us the Spirit as a down payment for our home.
6 So we are always confident, because we know that while we are living in the body, we are away from our home with the Lord.7 We live by faith and not by sight.8 We are confident, and we would prefer to leave the body and to be at home with the Lord.9 So our goal is to be acceptable to him, whether we are at home or away from home.

10 We all must appear before Christ in court so that each person can be paid back for the things that were done while in the body, whether they were good or bad.

Ministry of reconciliation

11 So we try to persuade people, since we know what it means to fear the Lord. We are well known by God, and I hope that in your heart we are well known by you as well.

12 We aren’t trying to commend ourselves to you again. Instead, we are giving you an opportunity to be proud of us so that you could answer those who take pride in superficial appearance, and not in what is in the heart.
13 If we are crazy, it’s for God’s sake. If we are rational, it’s for your sake.14 The love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: one died for the sake of all; therefore, all died.

15 He died for the sake of all so that those who are alive should live not for themselves but for the one who died for them and was raised.
16 So then, from this point on we won’t recognize people by human standards. Even though we used to know Christ by human standards, that isn’t how we know him now.

17 So then, if anyone is in Christ, that person is part of the new creation. The old things have gone away, and look, new things have arrived!
18 All of these new things are from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and who gave us the ministry of reconciliation.

19 In other words, God was reconciling the world to himself through Christ, by not counting people’s sins against them. He has trusted us with this message of reconciliation.
20 So we are ambassadors who represent Christ. God is negotiating with you through us. We beg you as Christ’s representatives, "Be reconciled to God!"

21 God caused the one who didn’t know sin to be sin for our sake so that through him we could become the righteousness of God.

2 Corinthians 5

Living by Faith, Not by Sight

1 For we know that if our earthly house, the tent we live in,s is dismantled,t we have a building from God, a house not built by human hands, that is eternal in the heavens.2 For in this earthly houset we groan, because we desire to put ont our heavenly dwelling,3 if indeed, after we have put ons our heavenly house,t we will not be found naked.4 For we groan while we are in this tent,s since we are weighed down,t because we do not want to be unclothed, but clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.5 Now the one who prepared us for this very purposet is God, who gave us the Spirit as a down payment.t6 Therefore we are always full of courage, and we know that as long as we are alive here on eartht we are absent from the Lord –7 for we livet by faith, not by sight.8 Thus we are full of courage and would prefer to be awayt from the body and at home with the Lord.9 So then whether we are alivet or away, we make it our ambition to please him.t

10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ,s so that each one may be paid back according to what he has done while in the body, whether good or evil.t

The Message of Reconciliation

11 Therefore, because we know the fear of the Lord,t we try to persuadet people,t but we are well knownt to God, and I hope we are well known to your consciences too.12 We are not trying to commendt ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to be proud of us,t so that you may be able to answer those who take pridet in outward appearancet and not in what is in the heart.13 For if we are out of our minds, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you.14 For the love of Christt controls us, since we have concluded this, that Christt died for all; therefore all have died.15 And he died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised.t16 So then from now on we acknowledget no one from an outward human point of view.t Even though we have known Christ from such a human point of view,t now we do not know him in that way any longer.17 So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed awayt – look, what is news has come!t18 And all these things are from God who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and who has given us the ministry of reconciliation.19 In other words, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting people’s trespasses against them, and he has given ust the message of reconciliation.20 Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His pleat through us. We plead with yout on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God!”

21 Godt made the one who did not know sins to be sin for us, so that in hims we would become the righteousness of God.